From Hades
by John Creel
Summary: Post TLG. Artemis has regained his memories, but there is never rest. As a foe more powerful than any before emerges, wars will be fought and allies will be found in the most unlikely of places. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. No Rest for the Weary

**Unknown Location**

Darkness enveloped the massive halls, stretching endlessly into an unnaturally black void, a maw of fear and shadow. There was a unhealthy red glow emitting from the end of the tunnel, which, coupled with the oppressing darkness, resembled the malevolent gates of hell. A rumble sounded through the hallways, followed by a laugh. This wasn't one of joy, nor happiness, but of evil, spite, hatred and a insatiable desire for death.

"All is going so perfectly," said the ominous voice with poisonous excitement, followed by another unworldly rumble, "Soon it will begin, and when it does, no one will be able to challenge me. This time, they are all going to die..."

The shrouded figure laughed again, the monster like rumbles mixing with the vehement guffawing as does blood mix with water. The room was illuminated by a hellish red glare, its wicked lambency spilling through the observation window, which opened up into an impossibly cavernous room. As far as the eye could see were capsules laden with wires and tubes, the twisted shapes within them looking nightmarish in the red twilight.

Another rumble emerged from below, the red glow growing in intensity. The figure's features twisted into a rancorous grin as it strode up to a terminal, its interface dark except for one glowing red button, which the shadowy entity pressed without hesitation. The rumbles intensified even more as trails of crimson light snaked through each capsule, the worm-like tendrils twisting through the massive room with blinding speed and efficiency. After no more than a few seconds they had penetrated all of the tubes, after which dissolving into a red mist which filled the air with an insidious blood colored cloud. The rumbling stopped abruptly leaving the hellish scene in complete silence, an impossibly deafening silence. The world seemed to stand still as the figure stood there, waiting in quiet anticipation. A great hissing sound suddenly exploded from every device, like a great snake threatening death. Red eyes glowed from the shadow of the unknown individual's face, its grin growing to a terrifyingly exaggerated size, as one by one tens of thousands of containers opened, their contents stirring violently.

"They will pay," the demonic creature said distantly, as though picturing scenes of carnage within its malevolent mind. "They will suffer for all eternity at my hands!"

It laughed again wickedly as thousands of blood thirsty growls sounded from what was below; an army of darkness.

**Haven Memorial Hospital**

Artemis lay propped up on the hospital bed, regarding a copy of the haven times newspaper. The miraculous news of his return was still front page news, and related articles filled most of the other pages, detailing the events that occurred more than a year ago. He flipped through it and noticed a picture of himself that was taken when he _wasn't_ saving the world. _What I wouldn't do for a decent suit, this hospital gown is hardly fit for any sentient being, much less myself, _he thought, looking at his reflection in an adjacent mirror with a copious degree of disgust.

It had been over a year and six months since the battle against Opal Koboi, the _last_ battle. Artemis still felt weird now that Opal was gone, that such an insurmountable foe had finally been vanquished. Artemis never really liked fairy tails, but he couldn't help but wonder if this meant that there was a happily ever after, that it was over and everything was going to be right with the world.

Six months ago he had come back into the realm of the living, and since then he'd been making frequent visits to Haven, working on regaining his memories through a plethora of magical and technological treatments. To say that it was easy would be an egregious lie; it was the most difficult thing Artemis had ever done. It was surreal, like having to start all over, a voluminous blank book that needed to be filled. But with the help of the People he had been able to, bit by bit, unlock the phantasmal secrets of his past. It was not at all like re-learning everything, though Artemis could do so in a matter of years, but rather an unsealing of the memories that were trapped within his spirit. They'd never left him, they just went into a sort of preservative hibernation. Even so, the doctors were skeptical that he'd ever remember everything, but he was Artemis Fowl, he'd been defying every obstacle his entire life. _Like death,_ he thought. It was quite a peculiar feeling to know that he had been dead for over year, that he was in another body, his original buried long ago. But he was alive, and now here he was, bored half to death.

Artemis sighed as he looked out the window, taking in the same view of Haven that he'd seen every day for the past few weeks. He hated being bound like this, unable to leave. He really missed the outside world, all the adventure and activity, but more than anything he missed Holly.

It'd been over a week since she last visited, the LEP had her on a series of above ground recons over the last seven says, and they wouldn't give her a minute to drop by. Others visited him regularly, Butler noisily barging in from time to time to check on him. But now even he was gone, reluctantly going back to Ireland to take care of Miles and Beckett, who were getting into far too much trouble lately. The two of them were recently caught red handed making a laser beam, saying that they needed it to quote "fight the extraterrestrial apparitions of cherry flavored cough medicine". _He can handle them,_ Artemis thought with the slightest bit of doubt.

His thoughts were scattered into a million shards when the door flew open with a bang. There was the sound a one of the nurses protesting outside in the hall for a moment, but quickly stopped. For a second Artemis was terrified, but when Holly came in his tension dissipated. There was nothing subtle about her entry, especially because she was still wearing full recon garb, her new Neutrino 3000 holstered at her hip.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, "Trouble had me doing a whole bunch of redundant jobs for him, with paperwork of all things."

"I was beginning to think you forgot about me Captain," Artemis replied, giving his signature grin.

"Forget? Not a chance mud boy," she said, punching him in the shoulder.

Artemis winced, "I never get used to that, no matter how much I want to."

Holly laughed, "I hope not, or how else am I gonna irritate you?"

Artemis smiled, he was glad to see her.

"So how have you been?" she asked.

Artemis laughed for the first time in a week, "Much better now that you're here, you won't believe how dry the staff around here are, not to mention the food. I doubt even Mulch would eat that pathetic excuse for nourishment."

"Well let's hope you get out of here soon, when you do I'll hook you up with some real Haven cuisine."

"Hopefully you're right, they've been running tests the verify that I am back to my normal self, making sure that there are no holes. I personally think they're stalling, trying to hold onto me as long as they can," said Artemis.

"Having the great Artemis Fowl does indeed sound good for publicity," Holly winked.

They talked for a long time, about their most recent adventure as well as all that transpired while he was dead. Artemis had been surprised to hear that things had been abnormally _normal _while he was gone, no overly self absorbed villains trying to take over the world at all.

It was getting late when Holly's communicator beeped, it flashed bright red. "Just great," Holly muttered, "all I need right now is another pointless errand." It kept beeping. Finally Holly checked the message. It was from Foaly: _Holly Ops booth now. _

Artemis let out a long sigh, "Well Holly, looks like duty calls, it's rare that Foaly ever talks in incomplete sentences."

"I guess," Holly grinned, "I'll be sure to check in on you as soon as I can, maybe next time I'll bring you one of your suits, you obviously hate that gown."

"Much obliged Holly, I'll hold you to it," Artemis smiled.

Holly then left the Hospital, walking speedily towards police plaza. _What could possibly be going on now?_

**Ops Booth, Police Plaza.**

"Glad you kids could make it," Foaly stated, giving the other occupants of the room a goofy grin.

Holly and Trouble were standing in front of the centaur. Both of them just happened to have been called in at the most inopportune of times so were, understandably, slightly vexed. Foaly didn't seem to want any bruises that day, so he skipped the usual jibes and intentionally provoking jokes that he commonly threw at the commander (primarily due to the fact that the centaur was too important to fire and secondly because he enjoyed it immensely).

"Anyway, here's the breakdown. I've just recently, through _my_ superior technology, intelligence and appreciation for the fine applications of the new surveillance satellites that _I _designed, though they could have been even more remarkable if the top brass had given me more funding and possibly some more vacation time, paid of course, all inclusive with all the carrots I could..."

"Get on with it!" The two elves yelled in unison, propelling Foaly out of his supremely sidetracked daydreaming.

"Right, I've found some profoundly suspicious individuals above ground, the unintelligent, ill-tempered, scaly kind," Foaly said, bringing up several camera feeds onto the monitors.

The satellite feeds depicted a dismal looking warehouse, though apart from that nothing else.

"Apart from an architectural travesty, what exactly are we looking at?" Kelp inquired.

"Nothing but an abandoned warehouse fifty miles southwest of Dublin, that is until I switch on the ocular filters," Foaly said excitedly. The moment they did, two hot spots appeared just outside the structure. Upon closer examination the two lifeforms resembled the physiology of a goblin.

"It appears as though these certifiably stupid B'wa Kell members thought they could outsmart me by using outdated cloaking devices," Foaly laughed. "They never even took into account the fact that it doesn't mask ones thermal signature." He giggled as though it were a really funny joke.

Though Foaly was getting quite a laugh out of the silliness of creatures less intelligent than the average spoon, everyone else was feeling quite different, especially Trouble, who was becoming more and more like Root every day.

"And how in the name of Frond did they get up there without us knowing? And for that matter how did they even get their hands on technology that should have been recycled decades ago?"

Foaly snorted, "Well it wasn't my fault, maybe you should stop hiring lazy old gnomes to guard remote chute exits, and while your at it maybe you should give me a raise."

"You already get a third of our budget you over glorified pony!" Trouble shouted incredulously.

"I am not a pony, and more importantly I am not over glorified, I'm excessively under glorified," said the offended centaur, crossing his arms defensively.

Trouble was about to interject when Holly spoke up. "Okay you two, stop arguing like a couple of children before I see it fit to test out my new gun."

Both of them quickly silenced, but still gave each other a few quick glares. Eventually Foaly brought up a map on another screen and broke the awkward silence, "Anyway, as I was saying, these goblins are above ground. The good news is that they are far removed from any immediate human contact. However, the bad news is that my scans cannot seem to penetrate the building itself. _I_t appears that whoever is running their little operation is more capable than the average scale bag. This means that we don't know what's in there or if we're dealing with just two goblins or a hundred.

Trouble regarded the screen for a moment, then looked to Holly, "Captain, I need you up there asap. I will mobilize a strike team to deal with them, you just get up there and recon, I don't want any surprises when we make our move. I am giving you full clearance and a pod up to Terra, it leaves in ten minutes so you'd better gear up fast."

"Yes sir!" Holly replied.

She started for the door when she felt Trouble's hand on her shoulder. She turned to him. He looked her in the eye, "None of us know what's going on up there, and I don't like sending in one my best with such little intel. I have no doubt in your abilities Captain, but I mean it when I say be careful. And good luck." She nodded thankfully and quickly made her way out, knowing that she had little time before the next magma flare came.

**South West of Dublin, Ireland**

The night sky was completely clear, the stars spreading across the dark until they disappeared into the horizon. The wind was a calm additive to the serene visage of the heavens, softly passing through the trees, rustling their leaves in a natural song. The breeze whispered up the grassy knoll on which the LEP Captain stood, causing the vegetation to sway in unison. It was on nights like these that Holly would come to the surface and fly over the forests, just for the sake of it. She loved the clear air, the wind in her face, the freedom it instilled. She longed for that now, but she knew she had a job to do.

She surveyed the land before her. The warehouse sat at the bottom of a small valley surrounded by forests and thick shrubbery. It was in a state of utter disrepair, its metallic walls rusting, the gravel pathway leading to it full of weeds and small bushes. It was an eyesore in such a beautiful place, its lonely skeletal presence looming in front of her.

_What a mess,_ she thought as she looked at it through her helmet zoom.

Foaly cut in over her communicator, "Okay Holly, I've scanned for life signs and it appears that there are few guards outside. You can sneak past them easily if your take the north entrance. Be careful once you get inside, my eye in the sky is limited to the exterior."

"Roger that." Holly replied. She activated her shimmer suit and made her way towards the warehouse.

The goblin sentries took no notice to her presence as she approached the looming metal atrocity, all the while her ears were assaulted by Foaly babbling in the background about how his new shimmer suit model renders one completely invisible, no shimmers at all (which sort of defeats the purpose of the name). Holly reminded herself to punch Foaly later for not shutting his pie hole in the middle of a tense situation, but apart from that she ignored him.

She made her way to the entrance, the large steel door hanging loose on its hinges. Stepping through Holly carefully eased by a sleeping goblin, obviously a sentry that decided to sneak a break. She couldn't help but wince at the sight of the softnose laser he cradled; one well placed shot from that and you're toast.

The room opened up into a hallway. It was lined with glowing lamps, seeming a lot cleaner that the exterior, but there were no goblins in it at all. Foaly chimed in again, "Based upon the blueprints I found for this structure you should be coming up on the main storage room now. Go in, take a look around, and get out. Don't risk anything that may get their attention, you may be invisible but they can still hear you."

"Thanks Mr. know it all," Holly joked, "But I think I can take care of myself better if you would stop breaking my concentration." Foaly said nothing in reply, obviously in concurrence with Holly's point.

The noise was more apparent now, she could hear voices and a lot of metallic clanking. She crept into the massive room, and was quite taken aback by what she saw. There were well over fifty goblins moving about, all carrying various human and fairy weapons and crates of ammunition. Long racks lined the room, completely stacked with various firearms. There had to be at least a few thousand weapons in there, along with a plethora of ammunition.

"You getting this?" asked Holly.

She heard the commander this time, "How on earth did these blundering idiots get this many guns? They could fight a war with all of this."

"I don't know sir, but hopefully we'll know once we get them behind bars."

Holly was a little too preoccupied regarding the scene before her, so much so that she didn't hear the goblin walking up behind her.

"Holly look out!" Foaly screamed over the comm, but it was too late. By the time she turned around the goblin was an inch away, walking in her direction not knowing she was there. What happened next was utter chaos.

Holly attempted to move out of the way, but the goblin still ran right into her, knocking them both onto the ground. The goblin dropped his gun, a G36C assault rifle, which hit the ground and went off. The shot nicked Holly's shimmer suit in the worst possible location, causing it to malfunction and shut down. By the time she had gotten up from the floor every soul in the room was staring at her. Holly did the only thing she could think of doing; she raised her gun and yelled over her speaker. "Drop your weapons! By order of the LEP, you are all under arrest!"

The goblins were dumbfounded at first, completely taken off guard, but suddenly began laughing hysterically. "You really think you can get us all?" laughed the goblin that had tripped on her, raising his rifle.

"No", she said, "But I can get quite a few".

With that she kicked the goblin square in the face, knocking him out instantly. The others quickly raised their wide array of weapons and opened fire, spraying bullets and laser bursts all over Holly's position. She made a run for cover, firing powerful bursts from her Neutrino at her assailants, stunning five right off the bat.

Ducking behind a large shipping container, Holly screamed over her comm link, "Trouble where the is the backup!?"

Trouble's voice was awash with frustration and urgency "An unscheduled flare is blocking our advance! Holly get out of there!"

Holly looked to the way she came in, only to see a dozen goblins cover the exit whilst firing relentlessly at her cover. Holly quickly sprung back, but was still showered by sparks and shrapnel from the bullets. _Great_ _now I'm completely boxed in _she thought.

She assessed her situation; there was no way she could go out the way she came, and trying to fly out was just as pointless, but if she could just get to a wall she could melt through it with he neutrino and escape. She peaked out around the corner. The least number of goblins were in the back area, only seven, she could take them out and escape. The only problem was the other five dozen unloading from every other direction. "Oh well," she said to herself, "I've had worse".

In a blink of an eye she was out in the open, firing full auto at every goblin in sight. She quickly neutralized ten that didn't run for cover, but the rest quickly rejoined the fray, hailing more bullets in her direction. She sprinted for an old forklift, jumping over a reloading goblin and shooting him in the face. The goblin screeched in pain as it did a complete back-flip from the force of the shot, all the while spraying rounds from his mp5 into a nearby crowd of his comrades, downing three of them.

Crouching against the machine Holly blind fired several wide bursts towards an advancing group, forcing them to find cover. On cue she sprang up, blasting three other goblins, and ran for the wall. She was lucky that they couldn't aim for their lives, but her luck was about to run out. Two goblins came out of nowhere in front of her, one carrying a softnose, the other an ak47. She rapidly fired at them, hitting them both with practiced precision, but not before they got of a burst from their firearms. Most of the rounds went wide, but three found their mark; a laser bolt grazed her helmet, knocking it clean off as well as melting half of it, and two 7.62mm bullets hit her center mass.

The force of the impact threw her back a good six feet, bashing her against a stack of steel barrels. Blue sparks moved furiously around her wounds, but she knew it wasn't going to be enough to heal her fully. She tried to regain her footing, but her strength ebbed from her body like water through a cloth. She weakly reached for her neutrino, which was just a few feet away, but it was kicked aside by a rather large and angry looking goblin.

"We got you now LEP scum!" the goblin grinned, licking its razor sharp teeth, "Let's see just how many bullets it takes to finish you off." He raised his gun, laughing as he did.

_Oh my gods, I'm going to die! _Holly thought, though she still met the goblin with a defiant glare.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the windows of the warehouse smashed, drawing his attention to the noise. Dozens of small spherical objects flew in, clattering to the ground. Holly knew instantly what they were: flash bangs. She screwed her eyes shut as tight as she could. The goblins, however, had no eyelids, so they couldn't do much of anything before they went off. With a loud bang the entire room went white. The goblins screamed in pain, covering their eyes and falling to the floor. The one that was a hairs breadth away from ending her life was in the same situation, writhing on the cement floor, desperately licking his eyeballs in a futile attempt to remedy the pain.

Holly watched in disbelief at what happened next. All of the entrances to the room exploded open, as did the windows and parts of the roof. Through them descended not the LEP, but mud men. They were dressed in black combat armor and wore intimidating helmets, their red lenses gleaming in the night. They poured into the room, two dozen strong, brandishing weapons that looked much like LEP pulse rifles, but much larger and much more dangerous. Any goblin that was still standing was instantly stunned, not one of them had the time or the ability to fire back.

It was over in less then twenty seconds, and then there was complete silence. At this point Holly began to lose consciousness, but she could still see the blur of activity as two of the humans put her on a stretcher and rushed her out of the building, loading her onto some sort of vehicle.

_I really need a vacation,_ Holly thought as she finally succumbed to unconsciousness, letting it envelope her in its velvety dark embrace.


	2. Awake

**LEP Headquarters, Haven City**

Commander Trouble Kelp burst through the door into the operations booth, sending a startled Foaly a few feet off of his seat. He'd been above ground for the last few days searching everywhere for any signs of Holly, but had turned up with nothing. They had no clue what had happened after she had gotten into the firefight, their communication flat-lining for no apparent reason. When Trouble had gotten to the warehouse about half an hour after they had lost connection, there was absolutely nothing left, not a single trace. Clearly he was in a very bad mood.

"Dammit this better be good, I'm not going to stop looking for Holly to gawk at your latest invention."

"It's nothing like that sir, in fact this is very good and very bad news." Foaly said nervously as he flicked on the monitor showing a bird's eye view of the warehouse. "It took me a while to isolate the signal from my satellite, something was causing an enormous amount of interference with the camera feed, most likely on purpose."

"Cut to the chase pony boy," growled the Commander.

"Alright, I've regained the signal, and I have a recorded feed of everything that happened after Holly went in."

"Well," Trouble snapped impatiently, "Play the video."

Foaly pressed the play button, putting the scene in front of them into action from two views; one from Holly's helmet cam, the other an external view of the building. Everything seemed normal at first, that was until the gunfire broke out. They could see Holly's perspective as she fought against the goblins, she was outnumbered almost a hundred to one. For a moment they were captivated by the skill with which Holly engaged her opponents, especially when she jumped over that one goblin whilst shooting him in the face (Foaly saved that clip into his private collection beside the one of butler beating the crap out of a troll).

Their attention was soon drawn to the presence of three incoming aircraft, flying low and very quickly. They were nothing like they'd ever seen; large, jet black craft with sleek features and deadly looking weapons mounted all over. They hovered over the complex, out of them coming dozens of figures all armed to the teeth, surrounding the building. At this point Holly was rushing for her way out, when they saw her take three hits from the goblins. "No," Trouble gasped as Holly collapsed to the ground.

The rest unfolded in a blur; the entry, the humans neutralizing the goblins, and then the men loading all of the fairies, including Holly, onto the aircraft. Another larger ship showed up behind the others, the mud men loading all of the weapons and ammunition into it at a surprising pace. To say they commander was shocked would be a enormous understatement.

Trouble finally broke out of his stupor, "Follow those ships, we need to see where they went."

"As long as they don't turn invisible," Foaly croaked, still shocked by the turn of events.

The centaur set the feed to follow the shuttles as they began to move away from the site. They could only stare when they saw the four ships shimmer out of existence, their black hulls rippling until becoming one with the forests below. They could no longer track them.

"This is bad," gasped Foaly, "Really, really bad."

**Unknown Location  
**

_She ran though the confines of the rusting hallway, ever aware of the footfalls behind her. Red eyes glinted through the dark, lighting the hallway with a crimson glow. They were gaining on her. She had no weapons, and her strength was ebbing from the wound in her side. Up ahead was a white glow, a doorway out of the dark world she was desperately trying to evade. Holly swallowed her pain an pushed herself as hard as she could, sprinting for the exit with blinding speed. The door was closed, but she knew she couldn't stop, she could almost feel their breaths on the back of her neck. The elf rammed the door, putting her shoulder into the brunt of the impact. The door fell away with surprising ease, opening into a well lit room. It was fowl manor, Artemis' study, and there before her stood the genius himself. He wore his regular Armani suit, and looked exactly as he did when they last met, but there was something lopsided about his demeanor. _

_Holly ran up to him. "Artemis, we have to get out of here, those...things are right behind me." _

_Artemis smiled, his grin showing not one bit of good will._

"_Common mud boy, there's nothing funny about this...Artemis?"_

_Keeping the wolfish grin on his face, he spoke with an icy tone, "I believe, fairy, that you are the one unfamiliar with the facts." Artemis slowly pulled out a wicked looking pistol, and pointed it at Holly. _

_She gasped, "What are you doing, you wouldn't shoot me Artemis, not after all we've been through!"_

_Artemis' stone cold gaze never wavered, and his voice was as cold as ever, "I doubt it." He pulled the trigger, and everything went black._

**Unknown Location**_  
_

Holly shot upright, gulping breaths of air as though she'd been drowning. She was cold with sweat, and her pulse was rapid. Slowly, she calmed herself down, lying back down into the bed. "Thank the gods, it was just a dream," she whispered.

At that moment she became aware of a dull ache in her chest. Feeling this she checked and found that she was bandaged in several locations. _Where did I get these..._she thought groggily, her mind not yet fully awake. Suddenly it all came back; the goblins, the firefight, her getting shot, and the humans.

Holly shot up for the second time, quickly taking in her surroundings. Her fatigue and tiredness were gone, replaced by the impeccable soldier that she was, her eyes taking in every minute detail whilst her mind considered numerous options and possibilities.

She was in a relatively small room, about the size of her apartment. Various objects sat about the surprisingly comfortable space; a table with two chairs, a bathroom, a small couch with a mini fridge beside it, and a digital clock on the white painted wall. The clock read 11:50 AM.

She quickly got out of the bed, noticing that all of her gear was missing, though that wasn't much a surprise given the recent events. She was just wearing a white hospital gown, a rather uncomfortable at that. "Now I know how Artemis feels," Holly murmured whilst shuffling silently to the door. It was locked, and the window was too high up for her to see through. Enraged, she turned around and flipped over the table, kicking one of the chairs across the room simultaneously. "D'Arvit!," She shrieked, "How many times do I have to be taken prisoner by stupid mud men!"

"You're not a prisoner," a deep voice answered from behind. "You're a guest."

Holly spun about, glaring daggers at the source of the speech. At the doorway stood a man likely in his mid forties, dressed in an impossibly black suit with a crimson tie. Average in height and build, though obviously impeccably fit, he appeared deceptively normal. He had short, well groomed hair and chiseled features. It was his eyes, however, that stood out, the hazel spheres giving an emotionless yet fierce and intelligent gaze, one that seemed to stare into your very soul. Holly was, understandably, dumbfounded as to how this man managed to enter the room without making a sound.

They stood there appraising each other for what seemed like an eternity. Holly stared defiantly at the man, who simply regarded her the way someone regards the morning paper.

"What do you want _human_?" She growled guardedly, never taking her gaze off of him.

The man took a few steps forward, speaking with a refined Russian accent, "I guess you're not in the mood for pleasant conversation, though I must say, given the circumstances I hardly blame you."

Holly simply glared up at him, taking a defensive stance.

The man didn't react at all except for raising an eyebrow, "Now Captain Short, that's not necessary. I am not here to do you any harm or grievance, I am simply within this room to explain the situation."

"Then how about you explain how you know who I am?" Holly yelled, not letting her guard down.

"Your name tag for starters," he replied calmly, putting the table upright.

_Oh gods not again_, Holly thought. The sheer prospect of reliving the events from the time she first met Artemis sent chills down her spine.

The human casually walked across the room and picked up the chair, setting it at the table with the other. Holly, seeing him take his attention off of her, tried her best to summon enough magic to execute a mesmer, but nothing came, not even a drop; she was completely empty.

The human, noticing her strained attempt, looked at her knowingly, "Please refrain from using your magic, you'll only hurt yourself. You've been through a considerable amount of physical and mental trauma lately. You're lucky to be alive."

"I don't know about lucky," Holly muttered.

The man sighed slightly, his features softening for a brief moment before they assumed their usual potent, emotionless mask.

"How about we have a civilized conversation," he said, motioning to the table and chairs. "As I said before, I have no ill intentions, I simply want to discuss with you the current circumstances." He noticed that Holly wasn't believing a word of it, eliciting a slight frown from him. "I understand that this may seem like a complete debacle from your standpoint, but if you would please, sit, and I will answer all of your questions."

Holly, seeing no other alternative, grudgingly sat down, after which the man opposite to her did the same. He nodded to Holly, indicating for her to ask whatever she wished.

Holly didn't hesitate for a second, "How about you tell me exactly what the heck is going on!"

"Well, that's a loaded question, how about I start with who I am," the man replied, "I am Commander Borislav Dragovich Ivankov, but you can call me Ivankov for simplicity's sake."

"Commander of what?" Holly pushed.

Borislav, making the slightest of grins, leaned forward, "What if I told you that not all of the so called mud men are the barbaric, domineering, ignorant and repulsive organisms that the People perceive them as. What if I told you that, unbeknownst to any of you, some of us have been doing you a great favor for quite some time now."

"I'd say it's a bunch of troll droppings," Holly commented. "All you humans have ever done is destroy the world that you live in, pollute it carelessly and wage wars over nothing. You're the reason we've had to live underground for thousands of years, because you tried to exterminate us!"

The commander frowned, "That was quite a long time ago, and believe me when I say that the actions of our forefathers were not the most amiable, or intelligent for that matter. Besides, based your experiences with a certain boy you must know that though we have many flaws, we are capable of good as well."

Holly's mind raced. _How much does he know about me, about Artemis, about the people?! What does he plan on doing? Is this the Fowl incident all over again?_ The implications of such an obviously capable human knowing about the People as well as the Fowl incidents were astronomical.

Borislav eyed her coolly, "I know what you're thinking, and yes I do know a lot, but please, hear me out." After getting no answer from Holly, who just sat there dumbfounded, he continued, "I am part of something that neither you nor any other fairy ever would have thought existed. Tell me Holly, what is the primary function of the LEP, apart from the regular police operations?"

Holly hesitated briefly, but knew that the man already knew the answer. Besides, she could gain important information if she cooperated.

"To keep the People from being discovered by the mud men." She said. It was an obvious fact, one that was drilled into her mind since boot camp. The LEP was the only force that kept inter-species contact from occurring. Their discovery by humanity as a whole would be, from a human perspective, like nuclear Armageddon.

The man nodded, "And what would happen if you were to be discovered by the entire human race?"

"War," Holly said apprehensively.

"Exactly," Borislav said. "Such a war would be the end of life as we know it, it would be the bloodiest conflict the world has ever seen. I for one do not want such a cataclysm to occur, which is why I'm here today. You see, there are some people, myself included, who recognize that humanity is not ready to make contact with your kind, that such an event would be disastrous beyond any scale of measurement. We also recognize that your kind, the People, are endemic to this world's survival. Without you, there would only be us, and if it's just us, well, you get the picture."

Holly understood everything he said perfectly. The fact that what the human was saying made perfect sense was unsettling, she tended to believe that most mud men were far too ignorant or jaded to be capable of such ideology. She didn't interrupt, however, opting to let the man keep talking.

"In order to assure the continuation of both our races and this world itself, a clandestine endeavor was born after the second world war, the time where we realized fully the extent of this situation, to keep human civilization from discovering the People. We saw what we did to ourselves during that era, we could only imagine what we would do to an entirely different sentient species, one many times more advanced than us. Bottom line, our fear of the unknown and a technologically superior entity would not mix well, but rather explode in our faces. Therefore, ever since our conception, we have been doing the same thing you do, except much more covertly. We deal with the problems that the LEP doesn't see, things that they miss, and believe me, they make mistakes more often than you'd think."

Holly couldn't believe what she was hearing. Mud men helping the People? It was incredulous! But then her mind drifted to Artemis._ Artemis has saved the People numerous times, even though he started off as an enemy. Maybe there are more humans like him out there. _Holly couldn't quite wrap her head around it. For the longest time she'd been under the impression that Artemis and his family were a gem in a sea of dirt, that they were the only exception to the rule. The possibility of there being more of such _inhuman_ humans was hard to believe.

"I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but it's the truth," Ivankov said softly.

She sat there, contemplating for what felt like hours. Could this all be an elaborate ruse? Was he playing games with her? Her mind swam with questions that she couldn't answer, part of her believing what Borislav had said, the other viewing it as a Trojan horse to gain her trust. Finally, she opened her mouth, "So what happened at the warehouse..."

"Was us doing our job," said Borislav, visibly relieved upon knowing that Holly was slowly coming around, although reluctantly. "That specific site was there for quite a while, the goblins were employing some new technology that manged to keep them under the radar for quite a while. When we concluded that they were going to go unnoticed by the LEP, we sent in a team to take it out. Usually we just swoop in, stun them, wipe them and leave them in an isolated location, tipping off the LEP about their whereabouts, letting them come in an bag the lot of them. This time was, quite obviously, different. We had no knowledge of you being inside the facility until we went in. When we did, we were quite surprised to find that you had already neutralized several dozen of the goblins, and also taken two high caliber rounds to the torso. We had no choice but to evac you given that you had already seen us and your helmet feed may have as well, and more importantly, you were dying. Your magic was able to mend much of the damage, but it wasn't enough, not by a long shot. It took quite some time to stabilize you, but we managed, which brings us to now. I figured that I'd be as transparent and honest with you as I could be, given that we are no longer a secret to the lower elements."

Holly pondered what she just heard. The man sounded honest enough, but Holly knew better than to think that as sufficient reason to believe him. Maybe they saved her in order to use her, what if she's really nothing but a means to a certain end for her captors?

"How do I know that all of what you've been saying hasn't just been subterfuge? This isn't the first time someone's tried to deceive me, I know better than to just go along with what a mud man says. Give me a reason why I should trust you!" Holly demanded.

The commander paused for a moment, then spoke resolutely, "Saving your life could very well be that reason, but I could have done that just to use you later as a bargaining chip. The truth is that you can't trust me, not yet, but in time you will."

He got out of his chair and tossed her a bag. In it was her LEP jumpsuit, minus the bullet holes and blood stains. "Get dressed," he said as he walked to the door, "I'll be waiting for you outside."

"What will happen then?" Holly inquired cautiously.

Ivankov stopped halfway though the door, then turned around, "Lost and found as we would put it. The LEP is probably going nuts trying to find you. After all, you've been out for several days now."


	3. Trust

**Chapter 3**

**Haven City**

Sirens sounded across the city, echoing throughout the expanses of the underground metropolis as the massive blast doors closed, sealing Haven away in a cocoon of metal and stone. Emergency broadcasts played over the public address systems, their foreboding message being accentuated by the numerous flashing lights of police vehicles and evacuation alerts. Haven rarely had lock downs such as these, as they follow an event that is, luckily, an even greater rarity: a threat from humanity.

Fairies rushed through the streets, going to their homes or predesignated shelters while LEP officers oversaw the lock down. On one busy street there was an individual that stood out amongst the panicked masses of fairies, mainly because he was Artemis Fowl. He had managed to take off his hospital gown and put on the Armani suit that Butler had dropped off for him a few days ago. The moment the sirens went off he knew it had to do with Holly, he hadn't heard from her at all since the last time they met, and the LEP had seemed very on edge as of late. He made his way from the hospital, which he left despite everyone's protest, making his way towards police plaza. Doing this was a lot more easily said than done, especially for Artemis who, with his lack of physical fitness, was having a tough time running through the chaotic streets in a cumbersome suit which was now stained with sweat.

_Why does this always happen?_ Thought Artemis as he tiredly jogged through the maze of citizens, careful not to run into anyone, though breathing was an even more pressing concern. _I've been dead for a year, put into a cloned body, been bed ridden with the worse possible attire and nourishment for weeks, and now I have to run a marathon through a panicking city in a suit that I just acquired. Why me? I'm a genius for heavens sake!_

Artemis' pondering was interrupted by what felt like running into a brick wall. The difference between a brick wall and what he ran into was that it made the former look like a wall made out of tissue paper. The man mountain that stood before him was none other than Butler.

"Butler, how refreshing to see you, what are you-" Artemis was cut off when the man scooped him up like a pet cat and, holding him against his chest, ran faster than one would think possible towards police plaza. For the fairies that they flew passed it appeared as though a troll was using Haven's streets for a track meet.

"I came down as soon as I could after I heard what happened to Holly," Butler said as they blew through the busy paths.

"What happened?! How am I not current on the situation?" shouted Artemis through the noise that reverberated throughout the city.

"Foaly told me that Holly had gone missing during a run in with some rogue goblins, though I guess he didn't think informing you was a good idea given your current condition," Butler bellowed.

"I am not a child anymore," Artemis protested, "And I more than anyone should be kept up to date with the relevant facts, especially those concerning Holly's well being!"

"No arguing with you there Artemis," Butler acknowledged, "But let's put that aside, we've got to get to police plaza and get to the bottom of what's transpiring."

"Fine, but please do try to avoid running anyone over," the genius said nervously as he clung on for dear life.

Butler grunted, then doubled his pace as the plaza came into view.

**Police Plaza, Ops Booth**

"What's the status on the lock down?" Demanded Commander Kelp as he viewed the various feeds from around the city.

"The lock down is complete," Stated Foaly, who was typing furiously on his old keyboard. "Now nothing short of a thermonuclear blast can touch us. I have also notified Atlantis and all other settlements of the current situation, they are following suit."

"Good, now I need for you to get the word out, mobilize all LEP forces and reserves and prepare for full scale evacuation, we have to be ready for everything!"

"Yes sir, but if you don't mind me asking, what about Holly?" Foaly said, concerned.

"I don't know Foaly, we've had no luck tracking her current position, she could be anywhere," Trouble said, a hint of melancholy in his voice. "But she'll pull through, I know that for a fact. She knew the risks when she joined, hell she wanted them, and our first priority is to protect the People. We're not giving up on her, Foaly, but we have our duty. She'd understand."

Foaly said nothing, instead focusing on the terminal in front of him. "Hang in there Holly," he whispered, praying that she was alright.

There was a sudden increase in the level of commotion outside the ops booth, accompanied by the occasional crash. Foaly and Trouble looked out the door to see what was causing such a ruckus to see the legendary Butler plowing down the hallway with an extremely embarrassed looking Artemis Fowl cradled in his massive arms.

"Sorry if I made a mess," the bodyguard grunted apologetically. "None of the buildings down here suit me very well."

"Ah Butler," greeted Foaly, "I see you got my call, and you brought Artemis with you as well." The centaur barely held back his laughter at seeing the genius in such a disheveled state, being held like a kitten by Butler.

"It's good to see you too Foaly," Artemis stated flatly as he was released from Butlers bear hug, absentmindedly brushing off his suit and adjusting it to its usual perfection, "Now if you would please inform me as to what has happened, and where's Holly?"

Trouble frowned guiltily, "That's it Fowl, we don't know. What we do know is that she's been seriously injured and is in the hands of a group of unknown humans."

"What!" Artemis exclaimed. "How did this happen? I demand answers!" Such outbursts were rare for the boy. Clearly he was worried sick about his friend, way past to point of worrying about etiquette.

"How about we just show you," Foaly said, bringing up the surveillance footage onto the screens.

Artemis watched to footage in disbelief, his jaw dropping in shock. He saw his best friend get shot with no one there to help her, she was alone and he wasn't there for her. Butler didn't look like he was taking it any better, his fists clenched into boulders.

"How long ago was this," Artemis asked weakly.

"Three days," Foaly said sadly. "But I was only able to access the actual footage a few hours ago. I'm sorry Artemis."

"We have to find her," Artemis said resolutely.

"I concur," Butler growled, cracking his knuckles.

"As do we all," Trouble agreed, "But Haven is locked down, and there is an imminent threat from whoever these mud men are. We have no evidence pointing to any location, they dropped off the map."

"So you couldn't track their aircraft," Artemis stated in disappointment.

Foaly shifted uncomfortably at that. It was rare that anyone ever duped him, and the scale of the situation made it even worse. "Not yet, there is always a way, but it may take time."

"Time we don't have," Artemis said as he made his way to Foaly's computer.

"Hey now mud boy, I couldn't even track them, what makes you think you can?" Foaly said, his ego working its way into his discourse.

"A hunch," Artemis stated, familiarizing himself with the interface. His hands blurred as he worked, typing at a speed that even Foaly was impressed by. "This may take a few minutes," the prodigy said, utterly focused on the task at hand. He had to be right, he couldn't afford to fail, to let Holly down, he'd never forgive himself.

**Unknown Location**

Borislav Dragovich Ivankov left the room, closing the door behind him. Holly stood there for a few moments regarding her uniform before she got busy putting it on. Like a second skin it fit perfectly and didn't scratch like the abysmal gown she had on earlier, a huge relief. After getting dressed her stomach growled fiercely, bringing it to her attention that she was incredibly famished, and rightly so after what she'd been through. She remembered the small refrigerator in the room, striding over to it and opening it cautiously. She eyed its contents suspiciously: several power bars and some water, not the most extravagant selection. She pondered as to whether or not the food was tainted, but then again, why would they even bother now? She quickly consumed the bars, washing them down with the cold water. Though it was not nearly enough to sate her appetite, it it was sufficient for the time being.

Checking her suit one final time, Holly made her way to the door, stopping with her hand on the handle. After a few moments of fleeting hesitation, she twisted the knob, and pulled open the door.

The room opened out into a long corridor, lined with rooms similar to the one she had occupied, obviously functioning as accommodation for whoever resided there. The hall was constructed out of some sort of alloy painted pure white, with lights lining the roof at regular intervals. It looked generic, but very functional. The hall appeared to be deserted except for the elf and the man standing patiently beside her.

"Shall we get started Captain Short?" The commander asked politely.

"Fine, but don't try anything funny," Holly said warningly.

"The thought never crossed my mind I assure you," Borislav replied, turning towards the hall. "Right this way."

The man started walking, Holly staying a few measured paces behind him, leaving enough space to react to any sudden movements. Given that the commander seemed to be open to questions thus far, she figured she'd try and get more information out of the human. "So who exactly founded this...organization?" Holly asked curiously.

"The people who created this operation were, as I would put it, a group of extraordinary gentlemen. They ranged from extremely wealthy aristocrats to some of the brightest scientists and doctors of our time. There were also writers, politicians, philosophers, generals, and so on, all of them devoted to this cause, and even more so secretive. They had the means to make this happen, and so it did. Now the descendents of these individuals run things, acting as a council of sorts. Though I may control most operations and directives, I answer to them, the shareholders. They have a very good act at funding our efforts and providing the necessary_ technology _to make our work possible."

"By technology, you mean_ fairy_ technology." Holly stated accusingly, remembering the equipment they used when they had raided the warehouse.

"Well how can you expect us to be effective using mankind's current assets? No, we needed to be current with your technology in order to not only do our job, but to stay hidden as well. You see, we were quite sure that if we were discovered we'd have a dozen bio bombs on us in ten seconds, we know how paranoid the LEP can get. Though I guess we'll find out soon enough, now that you're here."

They had come up to an open elevator, stepping inside the large metallic box. Again, it was obviously not the sort you'd see in the Ritz; it was pure military practicality. There were two dozen levels on the control panel, each with corresponding numbers and codes, giving Holly an idea of the true size of the facility that she was in. They were currently on level fifteen, Borislav pressed level three.

The elevator thrummed, taking Holly up to whatever waited in the above unknown.

"Where are you taking me?" Holly asked, keeping the apprehension out of her voice. She didn't trust this human, but then again she didn't give her trust easily. She'd been through enough to know that trust was something reserved only for a few.

"Why to the third level of course," Ivankov said with the slightest bit of expression.

"Be more specific," Holly deadpanned.

"The garage so to speak. I have already discussed our predicament with the council and we have seen that the only viable option is to let you go and hope for the best. We don't want to provoke the LEP by being rude or disrespectful to you, we'd rather make this...meeting, as cordial as possible, hopefully avoiding any unnecessary conflict by defusing tensions before someone acts irrationally."

The elevator stopped smoothly, signaling their arrival at level three. The doors opened noiselessly, revealing a massive, well lit room that was filled with the sounds of machinery. Upon seeing its contents, Holly gaped despite herself.

The room was filled with dozens of aircraft of varying sizes, all of them jet black with no markings. Some were massive, obviously for transportation, while others were agile looking gunships bristling with hardware. There was an aircraft for every thinkable application, a refined variety, all of them appearing to operate similar to fairy craft and looking just as capable. Throughout the expanses of the hanger various personnel sought to the maintenance of the futuristic looking machines, while others stood guard at regular intervals. Overhead there were numerous cranes and lifts, depositing craft into the smaller sub-hangers which lined the walls. At the far end of the hanger was a colossal blast door with block letters across it saying: CHUTE A1. The fact that they had access to a chute entrance was enough to make Holly's head spin. The LEP supposedly had every chute, even the most remote ones, under surveillance. Either they missed this one, or someone needed to be fired.

"How on earth did you get all of this?" Holly asked, still surprised and grudgingly impressed by the unexpected tier of assets that were before her.

"As I said before," Borislav said smoothly, "Our benefactors have a miscellany of connections, though I hope you understand if I refrain from divulging who exactly. We also have an extraordinary team of engineers and scientists who implement and improve the product we receive." He began walking solidly through the hanger, Holly following suit. "As for the size of our operation, don't worry, all of our personnel and partners have an adamant belief in the cause, and bear absolute fealty to this endeavor. I personally choose who can be a part of this, and I only choose the best."

Holly only nodded in response, slightly distracted by a sleek interceptor that they were passing. She appraised it carefully, estimating its speed, handling and maneuverability, feeling a desire to give it a whirl.

As they passed through the hanger towards a set of smaller blast doors there was little commotion over their presence there. A few mechanics and even fewer guards gave curious glances, but most of them acted as though an LEP officer passing through was a regular occurrence, though it obviously wasn't. Clearly they already knew everything beforehand.

Upon reaching the other side they stood before the blast doors. Two soldiers dressed in black armor, minus the helmets, saluted the commander and opened the large portal, which expanded into another smaller but still sizable room. In it was, by all accounts, the largest collection of suspicious looking black vehicles Holly had ever seen, the kind that would put every Hollywood villain to shame. Hundreds of machines lined the long room ranging from cars and trucks to armored personnel carriers and tanks, all black of course, contrasting perfectly with the clean white walls. One of the cars was waiting just in front of them, its key already in the ignition.

"This is the last leg of our little journey, a quick drive and I'll be out of your hair," Ivankov stated as he reached the car, opening the passenger door motioning for Holly to get in. The elf acquiesced, taking a seat in the vehicle, which was quite uncomfortable as the seat was many sizes too big.

The man closed the side door placidly, walking around to the drivers side before entering himself, putting his hands casually onto the wheel while he started the engine. "Don't worry, this car has enough armor to withstand more than a few landmines. It's the smell you should worry about, those damn air-fresheners you get at the wash smell like excrement." Holly, upon giving a whiff, couldn't agree more.

The car accelerated towards the opposite side if the garage, the multitude of black flashing by the tinted windows like stop motion animation. At first it appeared as though they were going to collide with the wall, but suddenly it retracted into itself, revealing a tunnel that disappeared into the distance. They passed though the passage, which seemed to have a blast door every twenty yards, exiting into the dark of night.

**Police Plaza, Ops Booth**

Artemis Fowl sat back in the chair, feeling very good about himself. Not only was he right, but he one upped Foaly once again. "I've got it," he yelled, capturing the attention of the centaur, elf and mountain standing outside the door.

Foaly was the first in, an incredulous look on his face. "I totally could have done that," he said, relief and dismay in his voice; the former over the possibility of finding Holly, the latter over being outdone by Artemis, again.

"What have you got?" Trouble asked, relieved as well. Butler stood silently behind them, wearing his serious face.

"Though there was considerable amount of interference, I was able to track the unknown aircraft to a five square kilometer radius in the Western Alps."

"So let's get going," Butler rumbled behind them.

Foaly frowned, "I'd have to override the lock-down sequence, and even then it would take a few hours to get there and who knows how many more to pinpoint the exact location. Don't forget that we have no idea what we're up against. We could very well be walking into trap."

"I don't care! This is Holly's life we're talking about! I'm not going to let such petty encumbrances impede a rescue operation!" Artemis said impatiently, balling his fists in frustration.

"I agree", nodded Commander Kelp, the hard look on his face showing his desire to help Holly as well, regardless of the risks. "I'll personally organize a team, we'll scour those mountains until we find her and those responsible." His voice was commanding and charismatic, a show of his impeccable skill as commander; Julius would've been proud.

Trouble turned to Artemis and Butler. "You may come as well, if you wish, though I advise against it given all of the unknowns."

"Dealing with such situations is our specialty," Artemis stated seriously, Butler nodding behind him.

"Alright." Kelp said, making his way to the command console. "Foaly, I need you to lift the lock down, but only for the hanger bay. We must avoid exposing Haven as much as we can."

Foaly was about to circumvent the lock-down procedures for the hanger when an alert sounded from his terminal. He eyes went wide. "Everyone! You might want to see this!"

"What is it?" Artemis asked, his voice hopeful. The three of them crowded around the centaur in uncertain anticipation.

Foaly turned in his chair, tears of joy forming in his eyes. "It's Holly."

**Western Alps, several minutes earlier**

Cradled in the heart of the mountains sat a small lake, its oval shape surrounded by the massive peaks that fed it. It was perfectly clean, one of the last places truly void of human influence. The wind rustled the trees around it, kissing the surface of the lake making gentle waves that lapped lazily against the shoreline. The sky above was clear as crystal, billions of stars twinkling against the black canvas that was the universe while the moon wandered sleepily across the horizon, its glow illuminating the quiet water below which reflected the heavens like a mirror. On a grassy knoll overlooking the water stood two figures, one clearly an adult, the other appearing as though a child.

They had left the vehicle a few kilometers away, walking through a narrow valley to the remote location that they were now in. Holly didn't quite understand why he had bothered taking her all this way by foot, and by himself for that matter. Did he trust her that much, or was he simply that confident about his abilities? Holly wondered about that as she overlooked the breathtaking scene before her. Commander Ivankov stood behind her, most likely doing the same thing.

"This is where we part ways Captain Short," Borislav said smoothly, his watchful eyes on the sky above.

"So you're just going to let me go after all?" Holly said curiously, still enraptured by the nature around them, and the smell of the crisp clean air thrilling her senses.

Borislav walked up to her, leaving only three feet between them, "Do you know why I took you out here?"

"Enlighten me," replied Holly, not in the mood for guessing. She tensed up slightly, not comfortable being so close to the man.

"To prove a point."

Holly looked up at him curiously. _To prove what?_

"As you've already noticed, we're all alone. Not a single one of my men are within ten miles of our location, and I left the car a few thousand meters away to boot. It's just you and me." He paused for a second, then reached into his jacket. When his hand came out, it was holding Holly's neutrino and her communicator, which he removed a small device from before putting it in his other hand. Holly took a step back, not sure if he was going to shoot her or not. Instead, the man extended his arm, the handle of the gun facing her. "You know what they say about trust," he said quietly, holding the gun steadily.

Holly was shocked to say the least, she never thought he'd leave himself so exposed, to an LEP officer no less. Nonetheless, Holly slowly reached for the gun, putting her fingers around the grip. Feeling the familiar sensation of the firearm in her fingers was a huge thrill, it was an extension of herself that she felt almost naked without. She made the effort to pull it slowly from his hands, but his hold didn't waver, clasping the weapon in a vice grip. He looked at her for a moment, then spoke even softer than before, "Now I need to know that I can trust you." With that he released the gun, leaving his hands at his side as he waited expectantly.

Holly looked at him, then the gun. Nothing was in her way, his life was in her hands. She could shoot him, bring him in for interrogation even, but inside she knew that that wasn't the right thing to do. He'd saved her life, told her a plethora of classified information, and now entrusted her with his life. Holly looked at Borislav, who was dead still, his face impassive. But his hard eyes were trustingly soft; he knew she couldn't do it. Holly let out the breathe she didn't know she was holding, attaching her Neutrino 3000 to her waist. The man in front of her gave a ghost of a smile before tossing her the communicator, "I've debugged your communicator as well as your firearm, you should be able to call for extraction without any problems. As for what happens next, that's up to you and the rest of the LEP. I've left some data on your communicator that will allow you to contact me directly when they are ready to talk."

Holly, still slightly flabbergasted by the turn of events, simply nodded.

The man looked around casually, as if on a nature walk, "Well, this concludes our little first contact dilemma. I can say it went better than expected." He extended a hand to Holly, "We will meet again, but I feel that we got off on the wrong foot. The name's Borislav Dragovich Ivankov, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Holly looked at his appendage for a moment, amazed, but soon extended hers as well, clasping his hand and shaking it firmly, "Well met, Ivankov."

Ivankov smiled fully, something that he obviously rarely did, "Well met indeed."

With that he turned around and began walking towards the way he came, Holly watching as he did. Soon his black clothed figure melted into the inky embrace of the forest, the sound of his footsteps fading into silence. Holly stood there staring into the darkness, but unable to see any sign of the man. The moon watched serenely, the brilliant night sky behind it doing the same. From the tops of the mountains came a cool breeze, rustling the grass at Holly's feet as it passed through the valley before rising freely into sky.

**Unknown Location**

The sounds of thousands of boots hitting the ground reverberated through the red half-light, demonic growls echoing off the walls. The mysterious entity watched with glee as the army of grotesque creatures formed from squads into platoons, platoons into companies, companies into entire battalions. Heavy armor covered their muscular bodies, what it didn't cover was hide as tough as nails. In their clawed hands was a colossal variety of weapons from both worlds. There were numerous human weapons, softnose assault rifles, heavy machine guns, artillery, and just about everything else imaginable. Despite their aesthetic differences, all of the weapons had one thing in common: they were made to kill with devastating efficiency and brutality. Overhead flew dozens of jagged looking shuttles, bristling with dreadful armaments while along side the infantry drove massive armored vehicles, their engines growling hungrily for battle.

From atop an overly dramatic throne the shrouded being watched, taking in the scene of pure power in front of it as it trembled in the anticipation of the impending chaos. It let out an excited squeal, something that didn't quite suit such a nefarious being, but it couldn't care less. "You can run to the ends of the earth you pathetic little rats," it said do a distant foe, "But nothing will save you from what is coming. The world will burn until its surface is but glass, and I will feed off its impudent souls to my heart's content." The being laughed insanely, it's madness flowing like an ocean of fire, burning with flaming vituperation and hatred as the army marched to the drums of war.


	4. Unraveling

**Chapter 4**

**Police Plaza, Haven**

Holly walked hurriedly down the crowded halls of the police plaza, giving off an air of such determination and no-bull attitude that everyone, even those of higher ranks, quickly made way for the LEP Captain. This was how she usually traversed the station, not liking its convoluted state one bit. Today, however, Holly had even greater reason to be in a hurry.

It had been only twenty minutes since Holly had arrived back in Haven, having taken an LEP shuttle down to the hangers. She had been picked up only hours before after sending out a beacon to Foaly, who had swiftly diverted an above ground shuttle to her location in a matter of minutes, with it coming an entire LEP recon squad. The recon team insisted that she get some rest while they traveled back to Haven, but Holly didn't feel like being idle. Instead she removed the pilot, a fidgety recruit, and flew the shuttle herself, nearly breaking it in half due to going over its max speed by nearly two hundred miles an hour. None of the occupants of the shuttle had ever been on a ride with Holly before, and they regretted it instantly. The maintenance crews were currently taking high powered washers to the interior if the ship, trying to remove the profuse amount of vomit that was caked to every surface, including the recon team. No one knows how, but Holly didn't get any on her.

The intercom system blared over the commotion in the hall, "Captain Short to report to the command room immediately." Holly paid no attention to the irritating announcement as she was already there.

The door to the command room opened in front of her, revealing a very well lit room with hundreds of screens and interfaces on the walls, as well as a large projection table in the middle. The area was buzzing with activity as numerous officers and technicians went about their work. When Holly entered the room all of the individuals stopped what they were doing, seeming genuinely amazed by her being there. The door at the far side of the room, the one leading to the ops booth, opened abruptly as four figures rushed out.

"Holly!" Came four shouts of various kinds, as Artemis, Trouble, Foaly and Butler neared her, extremely glad to see the elf.

Foaly reached her first, pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank the gods you're alright!" he said, tears forming in his eyes, "I'm so sorry for what happened, I should have known better!"

Holly returned the embrace. "It's no one's fault Foaly, there was no way we could have predicted something like that."

Holly untangled herself from the tearful centaur, seeing Artemis standing nearby with a huge look of relief on his face.

"Artemis!" She said, hugging her best friend tightly.

"I'm sorry Holly, I should have been there for you," the boy said regretfully.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Besides, you were in a huge mess of your own dealing with the hospital gown," Holly laughed.

Artemis grimaced at the memory.

Butler gave Holly a bear hug as Trouble cleared his throat, "It's good to have you back Holly, though I have no idea how you managed it this time."

"About that Trouble," Holly said, her voice suddenly dead serious. "We need to talk to the council, now."

"They gathered the moment you called us, they're waiting," the Commander responded, walking towards the council chamber.

Holly followed behind him, the other three in tow as they made their way to the large room that served as the meeting place for the council members. She had no idea how the others would react to what she was going to tell them, but regardless, things were about to get very interesting.

**Haven Outskirts**

Grug walked haphazardly through the ruined neighborhood that acted as the slums of Haven, the graffiti laden buildings in desperate need of repair. The goblin, a former member of the B'wa Kell triad, was blind drunk off of whatever he had in his claws, the grimy bottle caked with who knows how many forms of detritus. He tilted the bottle again, almost losing his balance, only to find that it was completely empty.

"Why is the rum always gone?" He slurred lazily, stumbling towards a dark alleyway. In his inebriated state Grug failed to see the shadows, about a dozen, waiting in the dark confines of the narrow space. As he entered the painfully sketchy alley he stumbled into something about two feet taller than he was, and solid as a brick wall.

"Get out ma way ye smelly pile o troll droppings!" Grug said drunkenly, waving a beat up softnose laser rifle at the shadowy figure, which just stood there silently, as if in deep contemplation.

"You wanna fight do ya?" The goblin yelled, though only half of his words made sense. The dipsomaniac pointed his gun at the blackness in front of him, squeezing the trigger. The laser bolt flew forwards, its red glare glowing off the narrow walls, only to collide with air.

Grug, despite his drunkard state, heard a slight noise behind him. Before he could turn around fully a massive clawed hand shot out of the inky black darkness, wrapping around his neck, eliciting a surprised yelp from the drunkard. The goblin struggled in vain as the grip tightened slowly, the rough hand squeezing with raw power. Grug gasped for air as he felt his wind pipe collapse and his larynx crumble like dust. The beast toyed with the dying fairy for a few more moments before twisting its gnarled hand, eliciting a sickening crack from the goblin.

The mutant dropped the carcass, forgetting its existence instantly, its mind focused on its explicit orders. Eleven more of the creatures appeared behind it, brandishing a wide array of weapons. The leader of the pack motioned them forward, activating a device on its chest plate. The group of twisted monsters shimmered momentarily before fading entirely, moving swiftly towards their target. The bulging dead eyes of the mangled goblin watched hauntingly as the shock team made its way towards downtown Haven, to the police plaza.

**Council Chamber, Police Plaza.**

The council chamber was silent as its occupants watched Holly step up onto the podium, adjusting the microphone to a more comfortable position. Apart from the council, the room was occupied by several high ranking officers, including Trouble, as well as the two humans. None of the fairies were at all surprised to see the two of them there, though a few weren't pleased.

"Whenever you're ready Captain," Commander Kelp said firmly.

"Alright," Holly cleared her throat. "What I am about to say covers the events that occurred during the last few days. Some of its contents will be...difficult to believe, but it is the truth. It all began four days ago..."

Holly went through the events of the last few days, not missing a single detail. She only touched on the actual operation that she was involved in the night she was wounded, deciding to put the major focus on her interactions with the mud men, Borislav in particular, as well as the facility and equipment inside. After about forty minutes Holly was finished, feeling tired after giving the long recount. The other occupants of the room were, to say the least, animated. About half of the council members had spilled their drinks, the other half shifting nervously in their seats. Trouble had grown a few shades redder while Foaly had put on his tinfoil had, looking quite paranoid. Butler did nothing, and Artemis only raised an eyebrow.

Holly looked at the audience expectantly. "Well?" She said, "What's our next move?"

Artemis raised his hand, "I believe that the most logical course of action would be to contact them. The sooner we speak with them directly the higher the chance that we'll be able to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. I for one don't think it's wise to exacerbate this situation any further, this could be a monumental step for both the People and humanity." Some of the council members murmured in agreement.

Trouble nodded grudgingly. "Though I'm usually inclined to disagree with you mud boy, you have a point. However, I still believe that we should exercise extreme caution. Just because they said they were non-hostile doesn't mean they aren't. Regardless of their intentions, opening a line of communication should be our next phase."

"I think we've had enough dealings with humans already," shouted a council member, Sinclair Longleaf, an overweight aristocrat with an egregious attitude. "Trusting that Fowl kid and his little entourage was already a massive breach of code, and now we're considering opening up to an entire army?!" He banged his fists on the table, "I think that we should launch a preemptive strike, bio bomb them before they can launch whatever evil plan they have!"

"I don't mean to be rude sir." Artemis responded. "But isn't exterminating a group of individuals who have not done anything to prove themselves a legitimate threat under the pretense of stopping an act of violence from them that has thus far not been proven to exist sound a bit too _human_. It would make the People no better than us, turning you into a bunch of hypocrites. I think that unless hostilities are proven by fact we should take a more diplomatic approach."

Artemis' speech seemed to meet the approval of everyone else in the room, causing Sinclair to huff angrily before sitting back down, a scowl on his face.

Commander Kelp brought the conversation back on track. "Foaly, do you have the codes that were on Holly's communicator?"

"Yes sir," the centaur said, working away at his terminal. "I can give them a ring any time."

"Do it." Trouble commanded as he stared intently at the screen.

Foaly pressed a button before sitting back in his chair. A comm link opened up on the large screen, showing static for a brief iota of time before an image popped up. There, on the screen, was Commander Ivankov. He was sitting in a large black chair, wearing the same suit as last time, and the same professional demeanor. Behind him was what appeared to be am expansive study, filled with volumes of books both ancient and fresh as well as numerous pieces of furniture, all immaculately clean.

Commander Kelp opted to speak first, "I am Commander Trouble Kelp of the lower elements police, and behind me is the council. We are before you to represent the People."

The man nodded respectfully. "I am Commander Borislav Dragovich Ivankov, overseer of our ongoing operation. I represent the interests of the council as well as our entire organization. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, and I hope that we can come a mutually beneficial agreement."

"The feeling is mutual Commander," Trouble said cordially.

Borislav observed the other occupants of the room, his eyes falling first on Holly. "Ah, Captain Short, it's nice to see you again."

"Likewise," She responded, feeling much more comfortable talking to him than she did last time.

The man then saw the two humans in the room. He smiled broadly. "Why if it isn't the legendary Artemis Fowl and Domovoi Butler, I have heard so much about you two. Please accept my thanks for saving the world several times."

Artemis gave his vampire smile. "The pleasure's all mine Mr. Ivankov. It is very refreshing to meet another fellow human being who shares my sentiments towards the People as well as my taste for presentable attire," Artemis nodded at his suit.

"Indeed," Ivankov said. "And Butler, it's good to see you in the flesh. Madam Ko speaks very highly of you."

"You're a blue diamond, I presume." Butler stated, more an observation than a question.

"Yes, though I never had the opportunity to meet you while I was there, you had already graduated by that time."

"Then I assume you've met Juliet as well?" Butler asked.

"I've seen her work, very impressive indeed." Ivankov stated.

The two men eyed each respectfully for a moment before Borislav reverted his attention to Foaly. "And of course how I could I forget the LEP's mastermind. You're work is unprecedented my good sir."

"Of course it is," Foaly stated proudly, glad to be complemented for his work. "Though I'm very curious about your assets. Maybe we can compare notes sometime."

"In time," the man said. "Well now that we're all acquainted, how about we get started. I know that an event such as this would elicit a great degree of panic from the People, and that is understandable. However, I believe that there is a potentially extraordinary degree of benefit to be had for both sides if we coexist peacefully. With the authorization of the council, I am able and willing to be fully transparent concerning our operation, as well as with any other inquiries you may have. So, my highly esteemed ladies and gentlemen, shall we get started?"

Before anyone could speak a massive explosion shook the building, shaking its very foundation and knocking everyone but Holly and Butler off their feet. As the lights flickered off, so did their connection with Ivankov, as well as almost every other device in the building.

"Foaly, status report!" Trouble yelled as he got to his feet.

"All major systems are offline, even the backup! I only have a few sensors still up, and they're detecting four breaches in the building as well as twelve unknown assailants. The DNA cannons are down as well!"

"D'arvit!" Kelp swore, drawing his sidearm as he barked into the emergency broadcast system. "There has been a security breach by twelve unknown assailants. Evacuate all non-combat personnel, all officers clear to engage!"

Holly aimed her Neutrino around the room, her senses on overdrive, ready for anything. Butler was shielding Artemis, his large Sig Sauer aimed at the entrance as the council members cowered under their desks, clearly inexperienced when it comes to dangerous situations.

Foaly looked terrified, "They're right on top of us!"

On cue the doorway exploded inward, flying off its hinges as black smoke poured into the room like a nefarious phantom. Out of the smoke came four bipedal nightmares. They were, by fairy standards, monstrous, being five feet tall and covered with muscle. They looked somewhat like demons, though their features were horribly distorted and twisted into a permanent state of animal like ferocity, their razor sharp teeth dripping with saliva as their blood red eyes scanned the room with predatory precision.

"What the hell are those," Butler growled apprehensively, his finger hovering over the trigger of his handgun.

Trouble switched his safety off. "I don't have a clue, but we need to drop them now!"

Holly and Butler couldn't agree more, firing their weapons at the creatures entering the room. The council chamber exploded into a miniature war zone as the two opposing sides pulled their triggers, bullets and laser blasts flying in all directions. Holly placed two perfect shots into the chest of one of the mutants, only to have it do nothing but make a pathetic sizzling sound. "Commander! Stun isn't working!" She yelled as she dropped behind a desk, dodging the hail of bullets that came at her.

"We have no choice, switch to full power!" Trouble replied, clearly not contented with having to use the max setting. Fairies, by nature, were not killers. Killing another being was something that was only done as a last resort, such as this.

Holly nodded solemnly as she set her Neutrino to its highest level. She'd never used a weapon to kill before, but it was them or her friends. The choice was obvious.

Holly listened as her attacker fired relentlessly onto her position with its assault rifle until after a few moments it stopped with a click; out of ammo. The elf sprang over the desk, firing several bursts at the monster as it reached for another magazine. The rounds hit home, sending the creature flying back into the wall, dead. If one looked closely they would have noticed a faint cloud of crimson vapor rising out of the deceased abomination, snaking its way upward before fading from existence.

The other three saw their comrade fall and aimed their weapons at Holly, who dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding becoming Swiss cheese. The problem with this was that they took their attention off of Butler and Trouble, who jumped up from behind their positions. Trouble dropped one of the assailants instantly, while Butler emptied his entire magazine into the other two. The high caliber rounds from his handgun tore through the flesh where the armor didn't cover, sending them to the floor in a heap.

As he reloaded Butler looked to his charge, who was huddled behind the overturned table looking more than slightly unsettled. "Stay there Artemis, we'll take care of this." The bodyguard said loudly. He reached into his jacket, pulling out a small handgun before giving it to Artemis, who grabbed it uncertainly. "Just in case."

"And I thought our days of getting shot at were over," he said as he pressed himself against the barrier, holding the gun uneasily.

Foaly was almost attached to the floor, still typing furiously on his laptop. "The command room has been overrun, it looks like they're trying to gain access to the ops booth, though it's impossible unless they have the proper codes..." His jaw dropped. "And somehow they do." The centaur almost felt the need to hyperventilate.

Trouble knew this was bad news, the ops booth was the virtual center of the LEP defense grid. If it was destroyed or even damaged, the implications could be disastrous.

"Holly, Butler, with me. The rest of you stay here." He said, rushing to the door, eying the fallen assailants as he stepped over them.

The two came up behind him, taking position on both sides of the destroyed door.

"On my mark," The Commander said quietly. They readied their weapons, knowing that what awaited them in the command room was sure to be heavily armed.

"Mark!"

The two elves and the massive human burst through the opening, scanning the dark room, the red emergency lights giving giving it a bloody red hue. The smell of gunpowder filled the air as tendrils of smoke rose lazily to the ceiling. The command room was a mess; desks and chairs strewn about, equipment blown apart, bullet holes and laser marks on every surface. There were bodies too, about half a dozen fairies and only two of the attackers, their lifeless forms splayed carelessly across the room.

"They will pay for this," Holly growled, sickened at the sight.

The door leading to the main hall opened slowly, revealing scores of LEP officers as they pried the metal portal open. They took up position behind the three iconic individuals as medical warlocks tended to the fallen, looking shocked at what they saw.

"There are six more of those bastards here somewhere," Trouble addressed the officers. "Stay alert, they are highly resilient to our weapons. Shoot to kill."

Everyone fanned out, getting progressively more apprehensive as they neared the doorway leading to the ops booth. No a single word was spoken, the silence of the officers mixing with the dreadful carnage in the room. None of them noticed the two figures that stood invisible by the door at first, their shimmering forms obscured by the smoke and darkness. Butler was the first to sense them, motioning to the others the presence of the concealed hostiles, who seemed to notice that they were no longer unseen.

Two of the creatures, one on each side of the door, unshielded into the visible spectrum. They both carried human machine guns, which they began spraying indiscriminately into the advancing group. Everyone dove for cover, except Butler who, being too large to hide, opted to charge the two mutants. The giant rolled towards them, somehow dodging their streams of fire, resulting in him being right against them. The human troll grabbed both of their guns, pulling them up towards the ceiling and out of the shorter creature's grips. Before they could draw their sidearms Butler put his massive hands onto both of their heads, smashing them together with such force that they caved in on themselves.

"Let's get this door open." He rumbled as he dropped the lifeless bodies.

Everyone in the room stared at the human, floored by his how easily he had neutralized the enemies, and by how he had smashed their heads like watermelons. Holly, being more used to Butler's amazing shows of skill, was the first to the door.

"It appears to be locked from the inside. There's no way we can breach this door, not unless we have the codes." She said as she examined the portal.

"That would be me," a voice said. Foaly had entered the room in a hurry, sweat dripping from his brow. "I will not stand by as these...these things desecrate my beloved inventions!"

Foaly opened the panel beside the door, punching in a very long number. The door responded instantly, opening elegantly. What was on the other side of the door was anything but elegant, by that meaning a mutant carrying what appeared to be a sizable bomb.

Holly, in a desperate attempt to stop the creature from activating it, shot the monster square in the face. What she didn't know was that the bomb operated on a dead man switch anyway. When it hit the ground, it began to make a beeping sound, the red light on its control interface blinking faster and faster.

"Oh gods," Holly breathed. "Everybody run! It's gonna blow!

Nobody disagreed. As everyone else ran as fast as they could, Foaly stood by the door, a sad look on his face. He quickly activated the control again, closing the heavy barrier one last time. He then walked briskly away from it, seeming confident that the door would stop the blast, though clearly upset by what the blast meant.

There was a long moment of utter silence, making it seem for a second that nothing was going to happen. Then the bomb went off, making a muffled _thump_. Apart from that there was no indication that the device went off at all, a testament to Foaly's paranoia. He had made his ops booth to be like a bomb shelter. He never would have guessed that it was going to shelter a bomb.

"Well there goes my favorite chair," the centaur said miserably.

"I think there's the bigger problem of there being no more ops booth." Trouble stated angrily.

"That too chief, but let's not forget who made it, moi." Foaly motioned at himself. "I always keep a spare.

"And where would that be." Trouble said, raising an eyebrow.

"In my basement, though Cabelline says I shouldn't take my work home with me."

Half of the occupants of the room face palmed. Foaly was exercising his inviolability to break a third of Haven's regulations, again.

Holly, not one to care about rules, broke the awkward silence. "We have some for pressing matters right now. There are still three more attackers within the station. We can't afford to argue over Foaly's computer fetish until we take them out."

"I do not have a computer fetish." The centaur denied loftily. "I'm only very fond of the-."

Foaly was cut off as a small explosion resonated through the room beside them, followed by gunshots and screams. It was the council chamber.

"Artemis!" Butler didn't hesitate, running like a man possessed through the room, grabbing one of the dropped machine guns as he did. Holly and Trouble ran behind him, trying to keep up, leaving the small army of LEP officers trailing after them.

The shooting had stopped abruptly by the time they reached the room. Butler ran in, gun at the ready, followed by the fairies. The room was quiet and filled with death, the air cloudy with the residue of spent gun powder. The council members were strewn about like rag dolls, riddled with wounds.

"Artemis!" Butler screamed, his voice shaking the room. He ran to where he had left his charge, praying that he was alive. When he reached the overturned table he only to find an empty spot. Artemis was gone.

Butler looked frantically around the room, as did Holly and the others, but there was no sign of the prodigy. Butler growled in anger. Artemis was his responsibility, it was his purpose in life to protect him. Now he was in the hands of the most murderous beings he'd ever seen, at their nonexistent mercy. He had failed. The gigantic man screamed in frustration, punching the wall in anger, his fist obliterating the surface and sinking his arm in by two feet.

"Where's Artemis!" Holly shouted.

"They took him," Butler said emptily. "Everything else was just a distraction."

The words sunk in. Holly was in shock.

"How did they escape?" Trouble said angrily, "There's only one way into this room!"

A gentle breeze drew their attention upward, revealing a gaping hole in the roof which went through two more floors before opening into the artificial skies of Haven. On the floor where Artemis should have been was the gun Butler had given him, as well as several spend casings beside it, still smoking hotly from use. They had been mere seconds too late.

Trouble gazed through the hole for a few more seconds, thinking intensely. _Why would they go through so much effort to disable the ops booth and capture Fowl, not unless_...The commander's eyes went wide with realization."I want birds in the air, every officer we have on the streets fully armed. Begin full civilian evacuation protocols and reinstate the lock down. We're about to get hit!"

The other officers in the room jumped into action, knowing full well what was coming, the dark reality apparent in the looks on their faces. Holly and Butler waited beside Trouble, glaring daggers at the hole above them.

"We have to go after them." Growled the bodyguard impatiently.

"I know." replied Trouble, who then looked to Foaly. The technological guru was working hurriedly by a console. "Foaly, what can you get back online?"

The centaur work vigorously, a fire in his eyes. "I should be able to bring our full sensor array back online in just a few...There!" He cried triumphantly.

The large screen in front of them came to life, showing a bird's eye view of Haven. Hundreds of lines of data scrolled down the screen as numerous points on the map began to light up near the North entrance to the metropolis.

"What in the name of Frond is that!?" Exclaimed Holly, pointing to the moving mass of flashing red.

"That," Foaly stated, his voice shaking, "Is an army."

The horrifying truth hung sharply in the air. Through the hole above them came a ghostly whine as sirens began to go off all over the city. The cards were on the table, there was no denying it. The People were at war.

**Haven, North Entrance**

By the massive blast door stood several twisted figures, hunched over a device that appeared to be attached to the door's control mechanism. For a few minutes they worked, while another stood watch, though they didn't have to worry about the officers patrolling the area; they were already dead. After what seemed to be but a moment there was a great noise, followed by the response of the gigantic metal gateway. The looming portal shook as it ascended, its massive alloy walls rumbling noisily. The malevolent creatures watched on, grinning wickedly.

**Haven, Shuttle Terminal  
**

An LEP transport shuttle landed smoothly on the tarmac before shutting down, its side doors opening swiftly as a ramp extended. The officers guarding the hanger eyed it suspiciously, having not been informed of the ship's approach.

An officer approached the conspicuous aircraft, hand resting casually on his holster. "You guys failed to follow almost half of the docking protocols, having a rough day or something? If you didn't notice we're under lock down and we've been having trouble getting word from headquarters."

There was no response from the open door but a faint glimpse of shadow, a momentary flicker of movement. The officer looked at it carefully before activating his communicator. "Yeah Chix, can you try again to get police plaza on the line, I've got a sketchy situation down he-"

The officer was cut off by a laser blast coming from the door, its hot red beam hitting him in the head. As the officer's lifeless form toppled over, dozens of mutants poured from the shuttle, weapons hot.

**Unknown Location**

The figure giggled happily at what it saw as it viewed the numerous screens in front of it.

"The pieces are in place. Now it's time for a little fun!" It let out another villainous laugh as it watched the beginning of the end.


	5. Sanctuary Burns

**Unknown Location**

The oppressive dark hall seemed endless as its shadowy expanse twisted and turned in a maddeningly random pattern, the smell of evil in the stale air. The familiar red tinge seemed to crawl on every surface, glowing slightly and pulsing as though alive. Artemis eyed the breathing crimson curiously, though he knew this was not the time for sightseeing as he was forced down the tunnel. Two of the distorted creatures walked behind him, pressing the barrels of their rifles into the boys back, silently directing him into the nearly opaque unknown, which was only slightly unveiled by the mysterious blood colored glow.

_I feel as though I'm in a Stephen King novel. _Artemis pondered as he took in his surroundings. _Though at least those were laughably unreal and at most a vicarious experience. _The genius was a mess, both aesthetically and emotionally. His once pristine suit was torn in several places, covered in dust and splotches of dried blood. It wasn't his, rather belonging to the unfortunate council members, but that didn't ease his fears.

When the mutants had breached the room, they made their way directly to Artemis, who fired a few egregiously inaccurate shots that all went wide. They managed to apprehend him quite easily, after which they had slaughtered the cowering council members mercilessly, a massacre that Artemis would likely have nightmares of for much of the foreseeable future.

Artemis had no idea how he had gotten to where he was now, nor did he have any remote idea as to where that was. They had knocked him out when they made their escape, the boy waking up to the tunnel that he'd been traversing at for the last ten minutes.

After what seemed like the longest walk in history, Artemis was brought to a large metal door that screamed important. There was a momentary pause in the usually automatic behavior of his captors before they violently nudged him forward once again, forcing him towards the imposing gate. With a haunting screech it began to open, the ubiquitous crimson glow pouring intensely through the growing crack, spilling into the hall like a wave.

Artemis squinted against the brightness, attempting to discern what was in the room ahead. As his eyes adjusted the great expanse before him began to take shape, revealing a large circular room over one thousand meters in diameter. Its walls were carved from solid bedrock, rising well over three hundred feet to the ceiling, which was cast in shadow, giving the illusion that it never ended. Mounted on the walls were dozens of theater sized screens, currently offline. Though all of this was quite impressive, what drew Artemis' attention more than anything was the throne in the center, set on top a massive base that rose up fifty steps to the top. He couldn't see who was in the seat, but the slightly familiar sounds of eccentric laughter echoed from it.

"Bring him to me." Called the distorted voice.

The mutants complied, pushing a hesitant Artemis up the polished black granite stairs. As he ascended he felt something horribly wrong hanging in the air, sending shivers down his spine; it felt as though the world was being inside out. After a minute of climbing the black steps Artemis reached the top, now intensely curious about who the being on the throne was, but no less terrified by the possibilities.

"On your knees you impudent mud boy," the shrouded figure said gleefully, seeming to be enjoying the situation immensely. The two mutants struck him powerfully, sending the human to the ground with a pained grunt.

Something about its voice sounded familiar, but in the heat of the moment he couldn't quite put his finger on it, the very room causing disorienting echoes and distortions, masking the true sound of the voice. The large granite seat was facing away from him, not permitting any visual identification.

The figure laughed again, the chair turning slowly around to face Artemis, revealing the last thing Artemis wanted to see.

"Greetings, Artemis Fowl."

There, on the solid black throne, sat Opal Koboi, an insidious grin on her face. Her appearance was almost nothing like it was before, her entire body glowing a sickly red, fading in and out of transparency from time to time. It was as though she were a ghost, but she was very real. Her visage was twisted, nothing like the once perfect face she had in the past, pulsing red veins glowing on her features, snaking around randomly yet with an indiscernible pattern. Her grin was filled with razor-like teeth, her eyes glowing the bloodiest red possible, giving her a demonic appearance. Whatever Opal was now, she most definitely wasn't from the world of the living.

Artemis, despite being shocked and utterly terrified by Opal's return, kept his face cool, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Opal Koboi, how am I not surprised." He said placidly, hiding his astonishment.

The demonic pixie's visage contorted into a look of pure malice. "Don't you dare play that imbecilic game with me Fowl! It would be in your best interests not to provoke the ruler of this miserable world!"

Artemis, knowing it would vex her, used his signature grin. "That worn out cliché again? On how many occasions have you made such claims only to be thwarted?"

"I hate you!" The demonic pixie squealed furiously, already through with his behavior. "You're the reason I died, when I was so close to fulfilling my plan! Have you any idea how much work I put into that!?"

"About as much as it would take to unscrew a light bulb." The boy said smoothly.

"Arrgh!" Opal screamed in frustration, pounding the seat with her tiny fists. "Every time you've foiled my work, unraveled my plans and ruined everything!"

She paused for a moment, her anger suddenly cooling as a devilish grin worked its way across her features. "Well not this time. This time you won't be able to save anyone, not even yourself. I have defied death, making a deal with the devil so to speak, harnessing the power of the underworld to use to my own ends. I have an army of genetically engineered warriors, powering them with the innumerable dark spirits at my disposal, arming them with every weapon imaginable. All of this has been done for a single purpose. Revenge."

"How platitudinous." Artemis stated, having anticipated Opal's over the top behavior. Though despite how cliché it sounded, he found her discourse extremely terrifying. Conventional behavior aside, when Opal made a malevolent promise, she delivered. Root's death was a testimony to the pixie's capability to induce suffering.

Koboi's eyebrow twitched. She motioned to the two daemons. They took out a piece of thick chain attached to a collar, sealing one end to a rung on the floor. With his hands bound Artemis couldn't protest as they wrapped it around his neck, the cold metal fitting tightly, almost causing him to choke.

"What is this?" Artemis wheezed, the thick collar impeding his voice.

"Part of your ultimate humiliation." Opal grinned, "Though it's nothing compared to what is to come." She stepped off of her throne gingerly, sticking her face mere inches from Artemis'. "I know it was always you who brought about my downfall. Your friends are capable, yes, but they always needed you to formulate an equation to victory. So that's why you're here, so that they don't have you. They will try with all of their might to stop me, but without that brain of yours, they may as well be blind. Even Foaly can't stand against me, that over dignified pony has never been a match for me! With you here, and the LEP in disarray, my armies will utterly destroy them. You know what the best part is?"

"Enlighten me." Artemis said weakly.

Opal laughed in his face, her breathe smelling like death. "You will have the front row seat to it all."

She pressed a button on her wrist console, bringing the massive screens to life with a flash. Artemis' eyes went wide when he saw the images playing on them: Haven was burning. The flashes of weapon discharges blinked all over the city, explosions and fires springing up like weeds throughout the once beautiful metropolis. The horrifying images were accompanied by the equally dark sounds of war, giving off a feeling that he was in the middle of the chaos.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Opal laughed. "A breathtaking performance that my creations are conducting! It's truly marvelous what one can do with a little demon and troll DNA mixed with science and dark magic. The science came first, the engineering and cloning of these magnificent creatures. Then came the magic, bringing them to life with artificial souls, programed only to distribute death! A perfect army! No fear, no morals, no free will. They will do absolutely anything I command them to without question or hesitation, an extension of my own hand, an instrument of merciless judgment!"

Opal grabbed him by his suit with surprising strength, ripping the expensive fabric as she made him look again into her insane eyes. "I could kill you right now, make you die a horribly excruciating death, but I figured that would be too merciful. No, I have a better idea. I will make you watch helplessly as everyone you've ever cared about dies. I will record their final moments from every angle and replay them over and over until you beg for me to stop. But I won't, not even if you plea for death. I will make you live a long life, forcing you to hear them cry for your help as they are torn to shreds before your eyes, not a single visceral detail missed. Your elf friend Holly, your guardian Butler and his idiot sister, the pompous Foaly, that repulsive dwarf, and your entire family! And yes, that most definitely includes your two younger brothers. I will take my time with them I assure you."

Opal released him, seating herself on the throne once more, her hate filled smile impossibly wide. "As I burn this world, you will be the only one who is safe. You will be completely and utterly alone as I consume the souls of this pathetic planet. And you will know that all of it happened because you sat here, like a chained dog, useless when you were needed the most."

Artemis' head buzzed as he heard Opal's intentions, his heart beating rapidly as fear for his friends consumed him. There had to be a way out, there had to be a viable option! His mind raced as the walls around him displayed death and destruction, searching for any remote course of action. But none came to him, his mind a convoluted mess, scattered by the dark revelations like a startled flock of birds. All he could do was watch as Haven burned, Opal's insane laugh echoing through the chamber, crimson light making every surface look like blood.

**Unknown Location**

The room was dark, the contents near invisible in the oppressing blackness, which was only ameliorated by several low burning lamps. There was a large circular oak table in the center, immaculately clean and devoid of any objects, as though its presence was merely symbolic and not for any practical use. Around the empty table were a dozen figures, each seated in matching, finely crafted chairs, their features hidden in shadow, their identities clearly a closely guarded secret. They sat there in complete silence, not one of them making the slightest of movements, instead becoming seated statues, shadow cast sentinels of a round table. The room had an air of contemplation, as though the very walls were cogitating clandestine matters. Such an atmosphere felt like thin glass, as if the faintest of noises would shatter it into a million shards. After a seeming eternity, a voice spoke out, though to whom it belonged was anyone's guess, as none of the figures made any indication that they were speaking.

"Shall we proceed?" An aged but smooth voice inquired calmly, utterly neutral and without any hint of bias. Wisdom, knowledge and character poured from the oratory, filling the room. It was the sort of voice that was unquestionable, one that would command the attention of an entire stadium without so much as raising it above a whisper.

The other occupants of the room nodded slowly, giving their consent with nothing but the slightest of sounds, the simple movement of their heads an apparent act of supreme power and control, the seeming ability to decide the fate of the world with nothing but a gesture.

The esoteric speaker nodded in return. "So be it."

**Haven City, Entertainment District**

The artificial sky above Haven was tinted red by the chaos below. Fires burned everywhere as explosions tore apart buildings with ease, sending shrapnel and debris flying into the sky like fireworks, raining down upon all that was beneath them. Sparks and hot embers flew lazily through the air, rising from their beds of destruction as they danced the jig of doom, twirling happily amongst the bloodshed taking place in the streets, ecstatic at the scent of war. The entropy intensified as one neared the city center, the outer reaches already quiet, filled with nothing but the dead. The entertainment district, once a collection of various stores, theaters and restaurants, was now a shooting gallery. Hundreds of shots rung through the air as bullets and laser blasts from the daemons contended with the advanced weaponry of the LEP.

Holly Short crouched behind a bullet riddled police barrier, one of many set up around the square as hundreds of officers and reservists fought against endless waves of daemons. Her Neutrino was on her hip along with a spare, her hands holding a large pulse assault rifle instead, its barrel steaming from intensive use. The daemon army had blown through Haven's defense grid before any offensive could be mounted, taking half of the city as well as the hangers without meeting any resistance. It was a complete and utter loss for the defenders, who were routed before they could organize anything resembling a defense. With that they lost the majority of their fighting capability, the shuttles and attack craft now behind enemy lines, leaving their forces limited to the ground.

Despite this they had managed to make some gains. Trouble, who'd mobilized the entire LEP and all other military branches with astonishing speed and efficiency, had mounted an all out counterattack, managing to push the attackers back to the entertainment district, allowing for the straggling civilians to escape. That was the good news, as they had managed to evacuate most of the city before the attack hit, the preceding lock down achieving the majority of evacuation before the assault. That didn't, however, include the many hundreds of civilians that were caught by the invading forces, which killed everything on sight.

Holly aimed from her position, firing a relentless hail of pulse rounds into the advancing enemy, killing them by the dozens. Her strikes had little effect overall, the sheer number of hostiles overwhelming as they poured into the streets from multiple points, a cancerous force of weapons, claws and teeth. Even though the daemons lacked the amount of training and discipline that an LEP officer held, they made up for it with raw brutality and strength. They were up against an enemy that held no value for their lives, and had no morals or regard for anything but war, making things a great deal more impossible for the LEP.

Holly fired once again, this time striking a sniper that was taking pot shots from the roof of a nearby shopping center, sending it tumbling to the ruined streets below. Around her fellow officers fought for their very lives, some caught in long range combat while others were forced to fight up close and personal with the monsters, adding to the chaos that had engulfed the city.

A cry sounded to Holly's left as an officer was impaled by a daemon using its gun mounted bayonet, pinning the poor fairy to the ground with the razor sharp blade. Holly turned and shot it as even more daemons began breaking through their lines, charging towards her position with predatory roars, gunning down officers as they went. Holly aimed her rifle, taking down several before a stray bullet blew the weapon from her grip, sending it clattering onto the concrete. She huffed irritably at the interruption, drawing her two Neutrino 3000's as she charged the incoming horde. With a battle cry Holly met the enemy, spinning agilely while firing shots from her dual wielded pistols with trained precision, not a single shot missing, resulting in over fifteen daemons falling around her simultaneously.

Three more went after her, firing relentlessly with their rifles in a vain attempt to hit the renowned officer, who was far too fast for most marksmen to hit. Holly dodged their first volley, hurdling over a concession stand while firing a shot, striking one of them in the chest. The other two intensified their fire, the agile elf avoiding the rounds as she closed the distance between them and her. At about ten feet away they ran out of ammo, allowing Holly to dive, sliding along the ground as she passed between them, shooting them in the sides as she went, sending them flying in opposite directions.

All of the sudden an explosion rocked the ground beside her, shrapnel pinging off of her helmet harmlessly, her ears ringing slightly despite the protective helmet she wore. Holly, not wanting to find out what made the pool sized crater beside her, dashed to the concession stand, vaulting into its welcome cover. Peering over the top cautiously, Holly saw what had made the hole, to her dismay. A large armored vehicle, a old LEP model modified into a tank, sat across the road, its massive laser cannon blasting the fairy positions into oblivion.

"D'arvit", Holly swore, ducking down to avoid being spotted by the tank, but not before she saw something very useful. Right above the vehicle, on a building's overhang, was a large advertisement panel, which was made from a high density alloy. Holly grinned mischievously. Her timing would have to be perfect, which wasn't a problem for the skilled officer. Holly counted for a few moments, making sure all of the variables were in place, before she sprung up, firing a single shot into the panel's supports. The shot hit in such a way that it melted the foundation, sending the panel tumbling down towards the tank, which was completely oblivious to the inbound marketing scheme. The panel landed directly in front of the metal monstrosity just as it was about to fire, causing it to shoot the sudden barrier point blank. This had the ill effect of causing the high energy blast to backfire, exploding into the tank, rending it in half before exploding violently in a shower of flame. Unfortunately for Holly, there were three more of them, all of which were targeting her, their over sized cannons warming up with a sickly glow.

In what seemed as an act of fate they exploded as well, their destroyed frames burning profusely as numerous parts exploded outward into the surrounding daemon infantry, decimating them. Looks like back up had arrived. Four LEP assault vehicles sped into the square, their large cannons utterly destroying entire enemy formations, providing cover for the officers in the streets. The daemon infantry units pulled back, seeking to limit their casualties, holding positions just outside the LEP line of fire. However, it was a short lived victory, as the ominous howl of aircraft neared the district. Holly knew what was coming.

"Enemy gunships! Take cover!" She yelled over her channel, sending the numerous officers running into the nearby buildings as the assault vehicles held the enemy back. Holly, after picking up a stray pulse rifle, sprinted for Spud's Spud Emporium as three large shuttles rose in formation over the square. The enemy ships began their death dealing work instantly, targeting the vehicles in the open. The APCs fired back at the approaching gunships, managing to knock one out, sending it careening into an advancing enemy platoon. The remaining ships let out a hail of high yield missiles and cannon rounds, completely obliterating the four vehicles in a cloud of fire. As the vehicles were immolated, the daemon infantry renewed their assault along with the two gunships.

Holly grimaced, activating her comm link to police plaza. "Commander, their aircraft are tearing us apart out here!"

"_I know that all too well Captain,"_ Trouble responded, his voice stressed from yelling. _"Which is why I'm diverting a hundred officers to the hanger, I need you to lead them. It is endemic that we attain air superiority, so clear the bay and get those birds in the air! I'm sending the coordinates of your new unit now. Good luck."_

"Yes sir!" Holly said, making her way through the shot up restaurant and out the rear exit, running down the officer crowded street towards the chute entrance and the shuttle bay.

Holly rounded a corner, following the directions towards her objective, working her way through crowds of soldiers and medics, all of whom were moving with haste equal to her own. She spotted the group of officers that Trouble had diverted to her command, waiting for her word. They were a collection of retrieval teams and recon operatives, some of the best trained units in the force. The officers looked to her confidently, no doubt feeling secure under her command. The sounds of war resonated through the air, the symphony of death coming from all directions. She ignored it, her solid core now in control. If she let her emotions dictate her actions, she'd be setting a bad example for the officers around her. They needed a strong leader, and she would give them one.

Holly took off her helmet. "Hear me!" She bellowed above the noise, capturing the attention of the officers. "It is our duty, as protectors of the People, to restore peace to this great city! As a race we have faced tremendous hardship in our time, but we have always persevered in the face of impossible odds! We have survived, by our blood, our sweat and our tears! When we were brought onto the brink of extinction by the mud men, we survived! When Haven was overrun by the goblin uprising, and all hope seemed lost, we survived! When we faced innumerable trials over the proud course of our existence, we survived! Now tell me, what will we do this day? Will we curl up and die as cowards in the face of destruction? Will we let these bastards destroy everything we hold close to our hearts? Will they get away with the evil they've committed? I say hell no! I say we fight! I say we survive once more!"

The combined cheers of a hundred soldiers rose in unison, their weapons held high. Holly put her helmet back on, noticing that her comm link was still active: she had been transmitted all over the city. Cheers of defiance rose from all over as the LEP officers fought with renewed determination, destroying the enemy lines as they pushed forward. Holly felt a wash of pride for her comrades, readying her rifle before charging towards the hangers, a hundred fired up officers in tow.

**Police Plaza**

"Quite the speech," beamed Foaly, who had purposefully transmitted Holly's oratory. He'd expected her to give a good bit of pep talk, and she delivered.

The centaur stood by a makeshift ops booth, dozens of computers and monitors thrown together in a stark resemblance of Foaly's now atomized office, though not nearly as capable; it would be like comparing a floppy disk to a modern supercomputer. As he typed rapidly on the virtual keyboard, numerous feeds and databases ran on his multiple screens, displaying a plethora of data regarding Haven's now disabled defense grid. Butler was absent from the room, having stepped outside to call the Fowl Manor to warn them. Given the current events, the bodyguard knew that the Fowls were in grave danger. He had to ensure that he didn't fail them, not like he did Artemis. Trouble was in the center of the room observing a large tactical hologram, allowing him to view the entire battlefield at once.

"That's Holly for you." He said with a grin. "She's full of surprises."

The commander eyed the map again, his brows furrowing as he watched the symbols, blue for friendly, red for hostile, clash throughout Haven. Things were looking up, though only slightly. They had already devoted eighty percent of their forces to the front line, only retaining a fraction in reserve. Holly's speech had managed to boost morale for the moment, but the battle was far from over, and they were suffering more casualties by the minute. To make things worse, with their defense grid offline there were no DNA cannons to thin out the enemy ranks. If things persisted as they did, Haven would be overrun in a matter of hours.

"Foaly, you said that you had a spare ops booth in your basement." The commander stated, no longer vexed by the egregious break of regulations, but rather glad that Foaly had.

"Yes, I can gain access to and possibly regain control of the defense grid from there." The centaur stated. "The problem is that its way behind enemy lines. Thank the gods Cabelline took a girl's night out to Atlantis, I don't know what I'd do if she got caught up in this."

"Don't worry about her, Atlantis is far safer than any other place above or under the world at this time." Trouble assured. "What we need to do is find a way to activate the DNA cannons. If we could bring them back online, the battle would turn very much in our favor."

Foaly huffed in frustration. "Well I can't just drive over there, and from the look of things we can't retake that district any time soon."

Trouble clenched his teeth. "Can you access it remotely."

Foaly grimaced. "From the ops booth yes, but given that it's been reduced to ash it's highly unlikely. The computers available here are not advanced enough, and I coded it to only allow the ops booth to connect. Even if I tried, it would take days to rig a suitable setup. And we clearly don't have that much time."

The commander swore under his breathe, frustrated by the unfavorable circumstances. His attention drifted to the blue symbol representing Holly and her unit. "Then let's hope Holly liberates the hanger. With the air support we could retake the skies, and possibly break through to the residential district."

Foaly's face tightened at the mention of Holly, his hands ceasing their movement over the keyboard as he turned his eyes to view her helmet feed, which depicted the elf blasting daemons left and right. He couldn't imagine running headlong into the enemy, brushing with death so often like a choreographed dance, coming within a hair's breadth of demise every second. Holly made it look like nothing, but he was worried for her nonetheless.

_Be safe Holly, _he thought, focusing again on the screens before him. _Be safe._

**Unknown Location**

Artemis watched as the LEP began to make ground, powered by Holly's speech.

_That's my Holly_. Artemis thought, relieved by what he hoped to be a turning point in the conflict. But his instincts told him otherwise, he knew it wasn't going to be that easy, not even close.

Opal, as always, was seated atop her throne, looking intently at the live feeds, soaking in the carnage. Her face showed only the slightest amount of surprise over the sudden LEP offensive, as though she almost expected it to happen. The dreadful being laughed madly. "Leave it to that obtuse elf to always act heroic, how amusing her attempts at valor are! Do you really think that that will be enough to stop me? This is a theatrical play for my own amusement, and we're only in act one! Enjoy your little moral boost while you can, Short, for I'm just getting warmed up!"

Opal activated her transmitter. "Second and third legions advance, destroy everything." She commanded confidently before sitting back once more, a look of intense anticipation on her face. "Oh how I enjoy their desperate optimism. It will make their suffering all the more crushing when I utterly destroy them. And as for you, Short, it looks like you have just volunteered to be the first to die!"

Outside Haven, a massive force of daemons advanced, their combined marching shaking the very ground they stood on as thousands of boots hammered the earth. Overhead, dozens more gunships flew into the fray, accompanying the many thousands of monsters below. The horrendous force poured into the city, the sounds of their hell march rising above the chaos, the army flooding the streets of Haven like a wave of death.


	6. Dying Hope

**Unknown Location**

Inside the massive chamber the monitors displayed their dreadful coverage, the sounds of war complimenting the images that filled the room. The screens cast their vindictive glare throughout the colossal expanse as the walls rebounded the grim audio, distorting the already hellish symphony. Atop the large platform in the center of the room were two beings, one seated on a lofty throne, the other hunched on the floor like a lowly slave.

Artemis watched anxiously as thousands more of the daemons surged into the city, making the LEP's odds of winning all but impossible. For every officer there were dozens of them, and as the number of fighting officers kept falling, the number of enemy combatants seemed to rise exponentially. It seemed hopeless.

_But it's never hopeless, _Fowl told himself. _No matter the circumstances, no matter what hand the foe has, there is always a means to defeat them. All obstacles have a weak point, a design flaw. Every problem, like an equation, can be solved! I just need to find the variables..._

Opal, who was soaking up the fruits of her revenge with insurmountable glee, turned to Artemis once more, obviously seeking to further trod on his dignity.

"As you can see, inferior being, my triumph is undeniable! Sure your friends are putting up some resistance, but I have virtually unlimited resources, and their pitiful efforts will be all for nothing by the time this day is out. Face it you fool, you have lost, and now everything will belong to me!"

Artemis pondered as the demonic pixie laughed, ignoring her villainous behavior as one ignores a slight breeze. _As long as I am here I cannot help them, not directly, but maybe I can gain something from these undesirable circumstances. _He glanced at Opal, who was once again viewing her destructive work. _If I'm right, Opal should still be prone to her inherent flaws. If I can manage to use them, I should be able to gain a considerable amount of valuable information. Knowledge is power, after all._

After a brief moment of hesitation, Artemis slumped to the floor, doing his best to look utterly defeated.

Opal looked pleasantly surprised. "So you finally grasp the situation mud boy. I have to say, I expected a bit more pointless opposition from you."

"What more opposition is there to make? They are out there fighting a losing battle, and here I am, useless." Artemis grumbled shamefully, injecting as much pessimism into his voice as he could. He could not afford to be unrealistic.

"That's what I like to hear weakling. A sonata to my hears." Opal grinned, her egotism building exponentially as she glared elatedly at the lugubrious human, a mix of joy and utter hatred in her killing eyes.

Artemis kept up with the act, throwing in a few fake sobs. "How? How did you do it?" He said weakly. To his own surprise, it sounded almost genuine, though Artemis knew the difference between a professional performance and a dismal one, having grown up watching theatrical plays and operas with a calculating eye. Nonetheless, it was better than expected, most likely due to the gravity of the situation. _And I thought I couldn't act to save my life._

Koboi laughed at him again. "I'm not stupid mud boy! I know that the disclosure of sensitive information in moments of apparent victory is a flaw that all too many have." Opal said loudly, catching Artemis off guard. Had she seen through his ruse?

Opal looked at the displays once more. "However, given that I have already won, and that nobody compares to me in intellect or ability, I can make a special exception for you, my mortal enemy. Besides, you will not leave this place for the rest of your miserable life, so I see no harm in showing you just how superior I am. In fact, it might make you a bit jealous." Her voice was dripping with an egregious amount of smugness, enough to make the boy almost gag.

Artemis' mind let out an sigh of relief, not showing on his despairing features. At first he thought that Opal had called his bluff. If that had happened, his plan would have become a lot more difficult.

Opal paused for a moment, seeming to put together what she was to say, quite obviously taking time to make it as ridiculously cliché as always. After a fleeting moment, she began. "As you very well know, your actions caused for that impudent Beserker to kill me, which severely perturbed me by the way! Dying is such an inconvenience!"

Her temper had, again, flared up due to the memory, but soon subsided, replaced by a cool demeanor. "What you didn't know is that I had a contingency plan. Yes, I know, you thought that I was too arrogant to prepare for the unexpected, but you thought wrong mud boy. I knew that accessing the gate and attempting to use that ancient spell was very hazardous, and given the number of times you've foiled my plans, I thought it appropriate to have a backup contrivance, just in case."

The nefarious pixie paused for a moment, letting her words soak in.

"If, because of you, I were to perish, I needed a way to return, to take what's mine. It took quite a bit of research, but I was able to procure a spell, one that I attained from some ancient manuscripts which I will not name. These relics were quite interesting, just getting a hold of them required for me to break countless laws and even more necks, not that I care for either, and once I did acquired them I was almost atomized by their magical safeguards. They were guarded by such an intricate spell, truly a work of art that you would appreciate, one that I spent months unraveling. But, obviously, such encumbrances stood no chance against me, and after a while I had what I needed."

The pixie paused again, clearly for effect. Artemis didn't like the sound of what he was hearing, the implications stacking atop one another continuously, forming a mountain of dreadful possibilities. As he tried to piece some of them together, the nefarious being continued her monologue.

"In order for my spirit to be able to return to this realm from the underworld, disgusting place by the way, I would need a line of connection, a safety harness so to speak, that would leave a small link to this world. The spell I contrived did just that, which made it possible for me to find my way back. It was not easy, but my desire to see you suffer made any trial look like a small inconvenience. Therefore I was able to climb my way out of Hades, emerging once more into this pathetic realm, though without my original physical self. I had to settle for this otherworldly body, though it's a small price to pay for another opportunity to ruin your life!"

Artemis digested what he was being told, quite amazed despite himself. He'd always known that magic was a near limitless tool, but this was ridiculous.

Opal leaned forward slowly. "Do you want to know the best part? No answer? Good." She leaned back once more, a grin working its way across her features. "The spell I found couldn't be used on anything, it had to be attached to a powerful source of magic to act as an anchor, counterbalancing the pull between life and death. I put it into place after I had attained my power from that little event in the reactor, power that I needed for it to work covertly and effectively. I think you may know what I sealed it to, or should I say whom."

Artemis' eyes widened in realization, the truth perfectly clear. _No, not them!_

Opal laughed rancorously. "I see you put it together. Bravo, you get a gold star! Yes, I attached it to the two most magical beings in the world, those two warlocks, Quan and that little demon with the unimaginative name. With such a powerful spell, they didn't even notice that I had planted it within them! Quite a bonus really, getting to use two of your friends as a means to come back and kill everyone, how deliciously ironic! Anyway, so once I died I used their combined magic to help me back a year ago. They didn't notice anything apart from slight headaches and nausea, nothing really important, not until I came knocking on their doors a few months ago. You should have see the looks on their faces, priceless. Of course, I had to make their disappearance seem normal, so I outsmarted Foaly, hacked Haven's records and planted several thousand files and reports. To everyone, those two warlocks are currently on a pilgrimage, one that conveniently required for them to meld into a different dimension for several months. Weird I know, but put enough verbosity and unintelligible lore into the documents and everyone buys it. But that's enough talk, how about I show you?"

Opal pressed a button, switching one of the screens to the footage of a room filled with mountains of advanced equipment. Within it were the two warlocks, hooked up in a catatonic state to a plethora of wires and conduits. Massive machines and generators were connected to the conduits, which were glowing hot with pure magic, the blue stream of energy flowing out of the two beings. The room itself pulsed with magical power, the very air saturated by it to the point that it shimmered in a multicolored hew, the sparkling energy everywhere at once.

Opal enjoyed Artemis' look of horror. "Don't they look comfortable? I assure you they're fine, perfectly healthy. They make great power generators by the way. I have them hooked up to a regenerative system that constantly replenishes their magic levels as I drain them, giving me virtually unlimited energy! Just think, the ritual on a perpetual and mass produced scale! With such a power supply, I can produce armies indefinitely, thus no matter how many your friends kill, there will always be more. I'm brilliant aren't I?"

Artemis stared at the screen, mouth agape._ This complicates things, a lot._

**Haven – Shuttle Terminal**

The sharp staccato of gunfire roared throughout the expanse of the Haven shuttle port, blending with the bass that the explosions emanated, culminating into a bizarre symphony of firepower that never seemed to pause, but played onward in an eternally rising crescendo. The walls of the once state of the art terminal were now reduced to charred surfaces littered with holes, the ubiquitous holo-screens displaying advertisements and flight schedules flickering sporadically, casting their flashing glow against the walls, adding to the entropy. On one side of the terminal, near the exit to the city, were dozens of LEP officers. On the inside of the terminal were hundreds of daemons, laying down an unrelenting wave of fire towards the hunkered down fairies, who answered in kind with their own. Amidst the numerous officers was the ever fired-up captain, Holly Short. However, given the present circumstances, she was beyond fired up, she was pissed. Only minutes ago she had led her detachment of one hundred officers to the Haven terminal, mowing through whatever got in their way with ease, all the while not sustaining a single casualty. Things changed once they reached the chute entrance, as a large force of daemons awaited them, dug in deep, and with word of enemy reinforcements pouring in through the city's north entrance, things were getting hairy.

Holly crouched behind the remains of an information kiosk along with several other officers, staying out the withering line of fire. Around her were about a hundred fairies, all seeking cover in the large reception room the led into customs and, eventually, the hangar itself. They had, through some sort of a miracle, only sustained minor casualties with no fatalities, while at the same time inflicting considerable damage to the opposing force's ranks, pushing their way deep into the terminal. Sadly, such progress had come to a halt, and now they were pinned down whilst the timer to their doom ticked onward. Something had to be done, and fast. Good thing for everyone, Holly had a plan.

"Specialists, load smoke and flash grenades, standard distribution, blast pattern omega. On my mark, squads one through six, advance with me towards chute entrance E3, riot shields up front. All remaining units provide covering fire!" Holly commanded through her comm link as she used the video feeds from the above surveillance cameras, observing the enemy positions with a tactical eye, awaiting for the perfect moment to advance. The timing had to be perfect, seizing the moment when the majority of the enemy were either reloading or changing positions, meaning there would be fewer actually returning fire or able to do so. If her instincts were correct, such an instance would occur in approximately twenty seconds.

Holly checked her timer, activating her comm link once more, "Fire grenades now!"

One cue, two dozen grenades flew from the LEP lines, landing strategically within the enemy's positions, clattering at the feet of the daemon defenders. The flash bangs went off first, blinding the half of the daemons who didn't cover their eyes. The smoke grenades went off next, casting a wave of opaque clouds throughout the room, obscuring the view of the others.

"Thermals on!" Holly yelled. "Mark!"

As one, Holly and sixty officers emerged from their positions, charging headlong into the now disoriented foes, who fired blindly into the smoke only to hit the riot shields of the advancing force. Holly was the first to reach their lines, firing from her rifle with precision, downing a dozen hostiles as they discharged their weapons to no avail. As she jump kicked another daemon in the neck the other officers poured in, mowing down the numerous but disadvantaged enemies, who only managed to hit several officers in return. It took no longer than a minute to clear the room and secure a straight route to the hangar.

The smoke began to clear, revealing the full extent of their work. Around three hundred daemons were strewn about the large room, and only ten LEP officers had been injured during the advance. Such was a testimony to the incredible skill and discipline of the retrieval teams that were with Holly, they were the best of the best.

As the medics tended to the wounded, Holly peered into the wide hall that led to the chute and the hangar, seeing nothing but air. _Too easy, quite obviously a trap. _She thought as she put up a link to police plaza.

"Commander, we've reached the hangar entrance with minimal casualties, though there's clearly another hostile force waiting within."

"_Excellent work captain,"_ Trouble commended. _"Though I advise caution, we can't afford to stop, not __now. The inbound enemy reinforcements will overrun us if we don't attain air superiority soon, and even with it we will be hard pressed to push them out."_

"That I know all too clear sir, though it would be a help if we could access the surveillance feeds from within the hangar bay, see what we're up against." Holly replied.

"Way ahead of you," Foaly chimed in. "Bringing the feed online...now!"

A video lit up on the side of Holly's HUD, showing the top down view of the bay. To everyone's collective relief, the chute entrance was lightly guarded, no more than a hundred hostiles. Clearly they didn't expect for the LEP to punch through their main defensive line.

"This should be a cakewalk," Holly stated, thankful that there wasn't an army waiting in the bay. "We'll have the hangar under control in no time, you just keep them at bay until we get you that air support."

"Will do Holly, and good luck." Kelp replied.

Holly cut the link, turning towards her fellow officers as she readied her pulse rifle. "Let's do this."

**Haven - Police Plaza**

The war room was filled with activity as officers communicated with field units and monitored the battlefield, the holo-screens lit up with tactical maps and charts as well as live feeds from key locations around the city. In the center of the room was the holo-table which displayed a bird's eye view of Haven. Around it stood Commander Trouble Kelp, the egocentric genius Foaly, and an extremely perturbed looking mountain with a gun, Butler. The table cast an ominous glow as it depicted the LEP positions strung out against the marauding invaders. Despite the room being heavily fortified, being in the near center of the building and full of activity, the distant sounds of combat snaked their way in, the rumbles of explosions shaking the floor occasionally like small tremors.

Commander Trouble Kelp observed the situation with a pained look on his face. So many dead and wounded, and many more guaranteed to follow in due time. Never, not since the battle of Taillte, had such a bloody conflict been fought by the People. It had been so long ago that most of his officers had never even experienced such brutal combat, and many of them couldn't cope with it. But that didn't mean they couldn't stand against this nefarious foe, not even close. The LEP had always been vigilant, it was always prepared for a potential conflict with humanity, so one such as this didn't catch them completely off guard.

_But it almost did._ Trouble thought, watching as more hostile divisions entered the city unchecked, sending a wave of destruction across its districts, one that made the goblin uprising look like a peaceful protest.

"Foaly, status report." The Commander ordered, clasping his hands behind his back as he awaited the official news.

The centaur cleared his throat, looking considerably disturbed, "We're currently holding a defensive radius of three point seven kilometers around the police plaza. We've lost all contact with the entertainment district and a majority of the downtown core, leaving the extent of our control limited to just the police plaza and a few surrounding areas."

"Casualties?" Trouble asked unhappily, waiting apprehensively for what he knew was going to be bad news.

"Overall we've sustained sixty percent casualties, twenty-seven percent of them being fatalities. Our medical warlocks have already run out of magic, so those who get injured remain so." Foaly stated solemnly. "And because of this, we're now completely cut off from Holly and her unit.

"D'arvit!" Trouble muttered. "Is there any way we can stall them further, buy Holly more time?"

"What about those bio bombs of yours?" Buter grumbled apprehensively from behind them as he continuously cleaned his gun, its metallic surface already impeccably clean as well as its internal mechanisms, a flawless tool of death.

Trouble frowned. "We already expended the smaller ones on their initial wave, which only had a minor effect due to their numbers. The remaining ones are too large to detonate within the city, so we're saving those in the event that we lose."

It was a bitter statement, one that clearly outlined how vehemently Trouble hated the prospect of losing Haven, even more so the possibility of having to bomb everything to oblivion in such an event. But that was how far gone the debacle had become, almost to the brink, the world's future balanced precariously on a fine point amidst a malevolent typhoon, where even the slightest of changes could cast everything forever into chaos and destruction.

Another deep rumble shook the room, this time feeling closer than the others. The enemy was getting closer by the minute, the holo-table showing their progress with disturbing clarity. Butler, still absentmindedly disassembling and reassembling his Sig Sauer, gave a deep sigh, his eyes looking somewhere distant as a great degree of regret crossed his features.

"Artemis would know what to do." The bodyguard said, feeling again the crushing sense of failure for not protecting his charge.

Trouble nodded slightly, "Maybe he would, but there's nothing we can do about that, given we have no indication as to where he is. If it makes you feel any better, this was my fault as well." He banged his fist in rage against the table, a pained look on his face. "Had I seen this coming, maybe if we'd been properly prepared we could have averted everything. In failing to do this, I have failed as a commander!" He thought of Julius, instantly cringing at the memory. _What would Julius think of me? What would he have done in my place? Have I failed him too?_

As Kelp cogitated the magnitude of his own faults, a massive hand grabbed onto his shoulder.

"You discredit yourself Commander." Butler stated strongly. "None of us could have predicted this, and despite the situation you have shown impeccable leadership in the face of impossible odds. We all share a sense of blame for what has befallen Haven, but in the end such feelings are only an impediment. The past is done, but what happens next is entirely under our control, so let's make the most of it."

The man mountain had stopped working his gun, the deadly tool now holstered. He took his reassuring hand off of Trouble, looking to somewhere distant as he did. "I know one thing for sure. Artemis is alive, and as long as he is there's hope. Nothing can stop that boy's mind, whether it's a doctorate thesis or an army. In the end, we will prevail."

Foaly curiously watched the exchange from his makeshift operations console, his attention temporarily drawn from his systems. Such distraction was shattered when a sharp warning signal emitted from his sensors. He brought up the warning onto one of the displays, his eyes widening as they read the lines of data.

"Umm guys, I don't mean to interrupt your moment there, but we've got a big problem!"

"What is it? More enemy reinforcements?" Trouble asked.

"Worse." Foaly said nervously. "There is a force of about two thousand hostiles approaching the terminal and Holly's position. They will cut them off completely if they manage to box them in within the chute entrance, where it would be a massacre."

"What's Holly's current situation? Has she liberated our air support?" Trouble demanded heatedly.

Foaly checked another screen. "Her company is still engaged with the hostiles within the terminal, they're making ground fast, but at this rate they won't make it in time."

"D'Arvit!" The Commander swore. "Are there any friendly reinforcements on the way? What is the word from Atlantis?"

"They've dispatched a relief force, but it won't be here for another hour. We have half an hour at most until we're completely overrun!" Foaly stated apprehensively as he typed away on the virtual keyboard.

"Then we'll just have to hold on." Butler boomed, causing everyone in the room to look to him. "We'll fortify the Plaza and hold out as long as we can. As for Holly, she'll think of something, I know it."

Trouble looked at him incredulously. "As much as I admire your resolve Butler, we barely have enough uninjured personnel to hold this place, and even then it won't be for that long."

Butler walked casually to the corner of the room, to where the weapons from the daemon infiltrators were stacked, shuffling through the pile of firearms as one does through vegetables at the market. Eventually his search concluded, as he stood up to his full height menacingly, holding two machine guns, one in each hand, the large weapons looking small in comparison to his muscular bulk. When he spoke he did so with the most serious and determined voice ever utilized in history. "Then I'll just pick up the slack."

**Haven – Outside Police Plaza**

Corporals Grub Kelp and Chix Verbil huddled behind an LEP police cruiser, clutching their Neutrinos tightly, trying to no avail to find some sense of comfort in their weapons. The sprite and elf were both visibly disheveled, their uniforms dirty and damaged in many places, just like most of the LEP officers. Around them, dozens of officers and medics made their way to and from the front line, some carrying wounded, others carrying the dead. It was a morbid sight, one that the two officers were far from numb to. In the not too far distance, the sounds of the battle that raged boomed loudly, the violence sounding closer and closer by the minute.

Chix fluttered his wings nervously, glancing about edgily, half expecting for the monsters to burst into the square at every moment.

"This is ridiculous! I didn't sign up for this!" He said shakily, his usual bravado dried up like a drop of water in the Sahara.

Grub. Who had a very hard look on his face, elbowed Chix in the side sharply. "Don't go saying that! Your an officer of the LEP, this is part of our duty, or did you just sign up for the chicks Chix?"

The sprite would have protested, had what Grub said been false. Instead he grumbled unintelligibly, his wings still moving about apprehensively. Grub, on the other hand, displayed no hint of fear or doubt, which was quite uncharacteristic of him.

"Can we at least go inside?" Chix whined, fumbling with his gun absentmindedly.

"No." Grub stated. "We have been tasked to guard the HQ, we are the last line of defense for the LEP. I will not forsake my duty, not this time."

In the past, most individuals would have regarded Grub as a spineless coward, one that lacked not only courage but self confidence and skill as well. They would be surprised to know that, since the onset of the crisis, he had grown not only a spine, but a pair as well. His change in character could be due to a variety of influences, but above all his resolve came from the sheer horror that had engulfed the city. Grub knew he was a coward, he knew that most other officers looked down on him, it was a fact. But in this hell of a situation, he would be damned if he acted as such, he would never forgive himself for it. Haven was burning, the People were on the brink of destruction, and it was his duty to stop that, his responsibility to give his life if need be. He had to be strong, even if he was weak. Having long lived under the shadow of his older sibling Trouble, Grub had finally become an officer truly worthy of his rank, and despite the situation, he felt a hint of pride over his new found resolve.

Suddenly, through the cacophony of warfare came the distinct sound of engines, one that every officer had learned to dread. Grub noticed immediately. "Gunships! Get down!"

As he and Chix dove under the car, two daemon gunships hovered into view, slowing as they reached the plaza. By now most of the officers within the area had found cover, the few caught in the open opting to fire pointlessly at the armored gunships. The aircraft responded with their chain guns, cutting down several of the brave fairies in moments. As the craft continued their barrage of the plaza, two dozen daemon infantry rappelled from the crew compartments, firing their weapons as they did with ruthless ferocity.

Clearly this detachment had been sent in to attack the LEP from behind their lines, maybe even to obliterate the command structure, therefore throwing the remaining fairies into utter disarray. Grub would not stand by and let them do that.

The officer left Chix cowering under the vehicle, rising up on the side opposite to the attackers, bringing his firearm to bear. Without any hesitation, the corporal fired at the daemons, striking two before they could react, hitting another as it raised its rifle. Grub ducked down abruptly, narrowly avoiding a wall of lead.

"D'Arvit, we're pinned down! Chix, get up here!" He yelled as he dragged the frightened sprite from under the car, shoving a gun into his hands. "If we're going to get out of this, we'll need to work together! We wait until my mark, then we clear this cover and counterattack!"

"That's crazy, we'll be shot!" Chix protested.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Grub said confidently, surprising himself.

The relentless fire began to dwindle as more of the daemons were forced to reload. Grub took the cue.  
"Alright, in three, two, one."

Before the corporal could say go, a loud bang reverberated through the plaza as the HQ's heavy doors were kicked open, revealing every antagonist's worst nightmare. Butler emerged from the station, an MK48 in each hand and a solid look on his face. As every eye turned to the massive hulk, he grinned dangerously. "Evening gentlemen."

Without any warning, the bodyguard opened fire, taking the already surprised daemons off guard. The machine guns roared as they fired 7.62mm armor piercing rounds at over 700 rounds a minute, the spent casings littering the ground as they spilled out of the guns' chambers. The bullets tore through the enemies' armor, blasting half of the remaining daemons across the plaza in the first few seconds. The others managed to return fire, seeking to destroy the human that had just killed their brethren. Butler moved with blinding speed, removing himself from their line of fire as he continuously fed them his signature lead milkshake. Several more of the daemons fell as the previously pinned down officers opened fire, hitting the enemy from every side. As the last one fell, Butler turned his attention to the two gunships that hovered above the station, peppering the building with rockets and cannon fire. Again, he let the two light machine guns blaze, lighting up the vulnerable engines of one of the craft, eliciting large belches of flame from the ship, which by now had clued into what was happening below. The two machines turned about, training their guns on Butler, who dove out of the way at the last second.

Butler rolled across the ground, having dropped his weapons during the dive, debris flying all around him as the high velocity rounds tore apart the ground where he was previously standing. He ended up behind one of the LEP cruisers, its armored surface providing temporary relief from the gunships. Butler reached into his jacket, pulling out his Sig Sauer. Even with its high power rounds, he knew they would have little effect on the armored monstrosities that hunted him. As he adjusted himself, he felt a small object under his leg, piquing his interest. He moved over, revealing an unused HE grenade, probably dropped by one of the daemons. Grabbing it, he thought for a brief moment, assessing the device in his hand. He grinned.

The two craft began to circle around the cruiser, their guns ready to obliterate the mud man that was behind it. To their surprise, the human stood up, walking casually from behind the vehicle, his hands apparently empty. The ships stopped, the large chain guns beginning to spin their barrels hungrily, eager to distribute death. Butler eyed the cockpit of the damaged gunship, then the proximity of the two craft, then the grenade in his clenched fist. Without a moments hesitation, he pulled the pin. With a roar he drew his arm back before powering it forward with inhuman strength, sending the grenade flying towards the craft's canopy like a bullet. The explosive device tore through the reinforced material of the window, landing on the pilot's lap. The daemon looked at the grenade with a look that said: _you've gotta be shi-_. Before such a thought could be formed, the explosive went off, completely engulfing the front end of the ship with fire, nearly cutting it in half. The gunship hovered for only a second before careening to the side, right into the other aircraft. With a metallic crunch the two ships collided, sending both of them to the ground in a ball of fire.

Butler observed the results of his throw with contentment, not even flinching as the burning wrecks exploded violently before him. Maybe he should try baseball some day, but then again, he'd probably kill someone by accident. Dismissing the thought, the bodyguard picked up his dropped firearms, as well as several others from his foes, slinging them over his shoulder. Without a word, he walked out of the square, towards the front line.

Grub and Chix stood behind the cruiser, their jaws on the floor.

"Did that just happen?" Chix asked, his face drawn into an almost comical expression.

"I have no idea." Grub responded, an equal display on his visage.

**Haven Terminal - Chute Entrance. Ten minutes later.**

The large expanse of the chute entrance spanned for hundreds of meters in all directions, the massive void that was the cute looming after it, its solid walls lit by a huge network of artificial lights, accentuating the impervious bedrock that formed its sides. The hangars were usually open to the gigantic tunnel, being sealed off by building sized blast shields only when flares passed through, or in the event of a state of emergency. However, despite there being an egregious emergency, the walls were wide open, revealing the magma formed tunnel to its full extent. The stadium sized room was filled with machinery, ranging from transport cranes and conveyer belts to civilian shuttles and pods. The LEP area of the hangar was also exposed, its security measures overridden, leaving the multitude of shuttles and interceptors exposed to the unforgiving reality beyond.

The bodies of fairies and daemons alike were scattered randomly throughout the area, their weapons beside them, smoking from excessive use. Fires burned around half destroyed transports and bullet riddled machinery, their flames casting a red glow on the roof high above. The marks of intense combat marred the room, craters in the floor where heavy ordinance had been used, and the countless bullet holes and laser marks defiling nearly every surface.

Throughout the battlefield were numerous barricades constructed from an apparently random pool of resources, their contents ranging from shuttle parts and even entire aircraft, to luggage and the odd garbage can. On the far side of the hangar, near the edge that fell endlessly into the chute's dark abyss, was a half crescent, around fifty meters across, formed of makeshift barriers and a severely beat up luxury transport. Behind this downtrodden defensive position were the remnants of the LEP company, only fifty officers, half of whom were too injured to fight. All around their position was a virtual sea of daemons, easily one thousand strong, with more pouring in via the terminal entrance and the now open blast door leading into Haven.

It was clear that the LEP officers were putting up a last stand, their route to the LEP aircraft cut off, completely surrounded by a multitude of merciless enemies. Among these ill fated police was the seemingly invincible captain, Holly Short. Her previously immaculate armor was now reminiscent to the inside of a vacuum cleaner, its shiny surface now covered with detritus, blood and scorches. There were several dents on the chest plate where bullets had collided, as well as claw marks from vicious melee fighting. Her helmet was very much the same, as was her one remaining weapon, her backup Neutrino 3000.

Holly breathed a bit raggedly from the constant combat, and was quite clearly shaken up by the amount of death that she'd witnessed over just the last few minutes. When she led her company into the hangar, she did so with a battalion of fresh hostiles behind them. One could say they were caught between a rock and a hard place, except both were armed to the teeth. Holly had no choice but to take the hangar's defenders head on, as holding back was suicide given the inbound reinforcements. Such a move cost many lives, though they decimated the defenders in the process. It was unfortunate for them that their goal, the LEP aircraft, was just out of their reach. By the time they'd cleared the primary hangar, the reinforcements arrived, pouring in from every direction, boxing them in until they were forced to their final position, which was virtually a slaughterhouse.

Holly, along with the rest of her officers, were almost lying on the ground. It was literally impossible to return fire at the enemy, as the moment one officer would leave cover they'd be pulverized by hundreds of firearms at once. They'd run empty on all of their heavy ordinance, as well as losing a good half of their assault weapons, leaving them with mostly sidearms and the occasional rifle. When pitted against the seemingly infinite munitions and weapons that were stacked against them, there was little hope for a recovery. To even further stack the odds against them, their comm links had been jammed, completely isolating them from high command.

Holly knew that it was the end of the line. Despite her unprecedented confidence and capability, even an officer as hot headed as herself knew when it was over. They had lost, they would all be dead in minutes, and with their failure to bring the air support, Haven was lost too. But Holly didn't beat herself with such thoughts, they were only going to slow her down. If this was to be her end, then she would make it such an end, taking as many of those bastards with her as possible.

As she sat there, her back against the ruined shuttle, her firearm held firmly at the ready, her mind drifted to her friends. She had never gotten to say goodbye, especially to Artemis, who was in who knows what sort of hell, alone. A single tear fell from her mismatched eyes, a tear of regret; she had let Artemis down. She reminisced for a moment, her attention drifting into her memories, leaving the sounds of death behind, like dust in the wind. She looked back to when it had all began, when such great years of adventure had started, to that criminal mastermind of a boy. She'd never known such things would have happened in her life, never dreamed of the ridiculously vibrant situations that the last few years had held, of all the impossible odds they had surpassed together. She smiled happily. Even though she was young for an elf, she felt no qualms of dying. She'd lived a good life, full of good people, both fairies and mud men alike. Her time was up, but it didn't matter, for what was time? Time was nothing compared to those whom she had in her life, and she would gladly forfeit all the time in the world for them.

An explosion rocked the room once more, the sounds of the daemon's steady advance rising ferociously, like a lion's roar. It was time. Holly gripped her gun harder, ready for what must come. As she stood to meet the charge, she thought of her friends one last time. She thought of Trouble and Foaly, working courageously at police plaza. She thought of Mulch, wherever that smelly convict was. She thought of Butler and Juliet, one fighting along side them, the other a world away. Lastly, she thought of Artemis, her best friend.

"Goodbye everyone." She paused, blinking away tears as they pooled in her eyes. "Goodbye Artemis. I'll see you soon."

With that the Captain rose, standing with pride and defiance as she awaited the relentless hordes of death with a smile on her face.


	7. Battle for Haven

**Haven – Police Plaza: War Room**

The dimming lights flickered randomly as tremors shook the walls, the rumble of an impending doom growing as it neared, a monster that was just out of sight, but so close that one could nearly touch it. Smoke hung over the ceiling, further concealing the overhead lamps, casting a deep gloom over the area which was painted a sickly crimson by the emergency alarms. Despite the chaos that was virtually everywhere, the room was quiet, almost devoid of movement or conversation, as though it were becoming a tomb that was only home to the silent dead. Only a handful of fairies were present, operating the bare essentials with noiseless determination, and an ever growing sense of despair. Commander Trouble Kelp stood alone by the holo-table, watching with hard eyes as the city was slowly consumed, their last vestiges of hope crumbling like dust. They had lost all contact with Holly, who was in no better shape than they were, their chances of regaining control lost with her. Trouble didn't know if she was alive or dead, her vital signs too being cut off by the hostile jamming signals. She was the best that they had, the greatest officer one could hope for, and he had the utmost confidence in her. But now, with the world crashing down around them, he couldn't help but feel the tendrils of doubt and ruin snake their way into his conscience, telling him with their hissing tongues that all was lost.

_Is this really it? Is this how it ends? Has everything been destined to fall in fire and blood? Is that the hand that fate has dealt us all?_ He shook his head, grimacing once more as he pushed the thoughts from his mind, though they still waited just outside his reach, ready to come forth again. Haven was overrun, their forces nearly annihilated by the evil that was consuming the city with dreadful ferocity. Right now, they were holding a weak line just outside the Plaza's perimeter, a line so fragile that it could break at any moment, a brittle twig against a marauding beast.

Trouble looked once more at the battle map, his gaze holding one last time on the terminal where Holly was before turning away completely. Foaly was seated by his makeshift ops booth, working with an almost possessed dedication, furiously trying to gain some semblance of control over Haven's defense grid whilst he monitored Holly's nonexistent signal, in denial that she may very well be gone forever. Tears were falling down the centaur's cheeks, his weary bloodshot eyes wide with a sad determination, the hope visibly draining by the minute like water down a pipe.

Kelp walked up behind him, as solemn as he was. "Foaly." He addressed.

The centaur kept working, oblivious to the elf behind him, his eyes not leaving the screens for an iota of a second.

"Foaly?" Trouble pressed, growing worried for his friend.

He kept typing, muttering rapidly to himself as his eyes shot sporadically from one screen to the next. "Holly...is fine...just need to...to...to repair signals...revert auxiliary power from...nonessential systems to...defense grid repairs...everything's fine...Holly's fine...just need to..."

"Foaly!" The Commander yelled, grabbing the panicking centaur by the shoulder and pulling him away from the consoles. Foaly yelped in surprise, almost falling over from the sudden action. Trouble held him firm, grasping both his shoulders tightly as he looking into his eyes.

"Foaly! Get a hold of yourself!" Trouble yelled once more, trying to break the centaur from his state of panick.

He went on. "We need to help Holly! She's out there and...and...and we can't contact her! I just need more time, and maybe I can break their jamming signals, get through to her. She's fine I know, but I-I-I just can't leave her on her own!"

"Snap out of it!" Trouble commanded, smacking him across the face, though only moderately.

Foaly brought up his hands, holding them to where Kelp had hit, his ranting ceased abruptly. After a moment, his hands fell away, revealing an awake and in control face, though one still plagued with emotion.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I just...lost it." He said apologetically, very much taken aback by his own loss of control.

"Don't sweat it, I think we're all losing it to some degree." Trouble replied. "Though we must remain in control, we can't afford to lose ourselves now."

Foaly looked back to the consoles, to the scrambled feed that was Holly's, melancholy and worry on his face. "What about Holly?"

The Commander's visage tightened, his grimace coming again as he felt something deep inside him begin to grow cold, as though he were losing a part of himself. "I don't know...There's no way we can know for sure but...I believe in her."

His eyes turned to the static feed. "I believe in her."

A massive explosion shook the building, black smoke seeping through the cracks of one of the doors as sirens blared anew, the red emergency lights flashing brightly throughout the darkened room. Trouble didn't even flinch, instead he stood silent, thinking deeply about something that he hated greatly, but that he knew was necessary.

"Foaly." He said solidly, his voice hard and grim. "What's the status on our remaining bio bomb munitions?"

The centaur paled slightly, knowing what was coming. "They're fully deployed, awaiting the signal."

"Good." The Commander said quietly, anger in his voice. He walked over to the wall where a row of pulse assault rifles were lined, picking one up fluidly, feeling the powerful weapon in his hands. "I am handing control of the plaza to you, Foaly. In the event that we are overrun, I am trusting you to begin the sequence. When they break through this door, you touch off those bombs, and send those bastards to hell."

Foaly simply nodded, at a loss for words.

Trouble smiled slightly, catching the centaur off guard. "It's been an honor serving with you my friend." He said as he extended his hand to him.

Foaly looked at it for a moment before taking it in his own, grasping it firmly. "It's been an honor working with you too Trouble."

The elf nodded appreciatively, releasing his hand, bringing it to bear on his rifle. "Bring up the comm link for me, I'd like to address my officers."

Foaly complied, activating the comm network to all personnel.

Trouble brought up the mic, waiting a moment before he began. "This is Commander Trouble Kelp to all LEP forces. I am calling you now to issue my one and final order, and that is this. Keep fighting, no matter what. Let us take as many of these monsters down as possible, let us fight to the last man, let us die for all that we hold dear. Let us not forsake our brothers and sisters, instead let us hold true to our commitment to the People till our dying breath."

The Commander paused for a moment, a look of great pride and determination on his face. "You are all officers of extraordinary caliber, men and women that I take great pride in calling my comrades. It has been my greatest honor to serve alongside each and every one of you. I will be with you shortly."

With that the elf put down the mic, staring off into space for a fleeting moment, remembering all of the officers that had been lost, and of all the ones that still fought. He thought of his family, his hopes, his dreams, and all that life had given him. Death had come knocking, so be it.

With one final nod to Foaly, Trouble made his way out of the room, fire in his eyes as he approached the ever rising sounds of war.

**Haven – LEP Perimeter**

The remnants of the downtown core burned, the ruined buildings now charred skeletons of their former selves, riddled with destruction. As far as the eye could see was chaos and war, an endless struggle that squeezed the city in its dreadful clutches, crushing the very life from it. The skies were lit crimson by the fighting below, the lighting network long since lost, leaving the emergency backup and the flames themselves as the only source of illumination. The air was congested with bright tracers, laser blasts and rockets as they careened into the shattered defensive line, from which came an ever dwindling response. Daemons crowded the streets, using rubble and burnt out vehicles as cover as they dealt death without emotion or discretion. Tanks rumbled beside them, blasting the defenders inexorably as gunships flew overhead, spraying the earth below with a ruthless stream of projectiles, their engines shrieking with a hellish scream.

A loud explosion rocked the square, disintegrating the foundation of the already heavily damaged Haven stock exchange, sending stone flying in all directions as the twenty story building collapsed in on itself in a deadly cloud of dust and flame, casting debris across the wide expanse of the war zone.

Butler grimaced slightly as the structure fell onto several LEP positions, no doubt crushing numerous officers with it's massive bulk. Things were not going well, not well at all. Butler had reached the front lines only ten minutes ago, yet it felt as though he had been there for hours, the passing of time distorted by the relentless combat. He had long since expended the ammunition for his machine guns, now opting for the AK47 that he had picked up earlier in the plaza. The barrel smoked profusely as he removed the empty magazine, pulling another from his pocket and ramming it home into the gun. He pulled the slide back with a satisfying mechanical sound, putting a fresh round into the chamber of the rifle. He'd grown quite fond of the old thing over the last few minutes, though he always had an appreciation for the firearm. The rifle was the perfect tool, dealing high caliber rounds with an apparatus that was powerful, efficient and simple, and it never jammed.

The bodyguard was huddled behind a makeshift barrier, accompanied by several dozen officers. They had been pushed back from their previous position not too long ago, being forced to retreat by a literal wave of hostiles. Such was the case for most LEP operatives in the area. The front lines had been reduced by a good fifty percent in less than fifteen minutes, leaving their forces crammed into an ever shrinking area. They had no options, they were completely outgunned and severely outnumbered by the marauding forces, and had no means of holding the lines against a foe that held both land and air superiority.

Only two blocks away from them was the police plaza, which was represented by a pillar of smoke. The enemy had recently opened up with long range artillery, bombarding LEP positions both at the front and in the reserves. The HQ had been hit pretty hard by the last salvo, leaving parts of it smoldering from the incendiary shells, further crippling their defensive capabilities. It was getting to the point where everyone knew the inevitability of their defeat, their demise now a certainty. But that didn't stop the fairies, for they were willing to give their lives for the People, fully prepared for the cold embrace of death should it prolong the lives of those they held dear. Such character touched Butler deeply, their sense of duty of such purity that it made him proud to fight alongside them.

Another explosion rocked the ground on which they stood, followed by a growing rumble, the sound of hundreds of boots striking the earth at once. Over the choir of heavy combat Butler heard the rising roars coming from the hostile positions, getting closer by the moment.

The bodyguard looked to the officers around him, bellowing above the madness. "Their sending another charge! Get ready!"

As everyone scrambled to their positions, Butler checked his weapon, making sure it was perfectly functional, which it of course was. He quickly moved over to the edge of the barrier, resting his rifle on the top of the stone rubble, peering down the sights with a professional gaze. _Let them come!_ He thought confidently, his finger hovering over the trigger, ready to pull at a moment's notice. Across the ruined wasteland before him rose a cloud of dust, the sound of footfalls growing steadily, though not yet in visual sight. Butler breathed slowly, his mind calm and in control, and his body at ease. There was no fear in his eyes, only determination, not a single doubt entering his mind. Such things didn't sway him now, not in the least, for he was ready for any horrors that the battlefield threw his way, he was prepared for everything, even death. This was what he did best, though deep inside he wished that such actions were not needed in the world, that there could be a place free from conflict, absent from war and strife. But he knew that such was far from possible now. The world was filled with evil, forever perforated by it's darkness, always having to face it head on. There needed to be those who would stand against the forces of evil, heroes who would fight and die so that others could live lives that were truly free and full of hope. Hope...how short it was now, a stump that was once a great tree, now cut down and burned away. But the stump still remained, and with it came the chance that it will grow anew, that the seedlings that had fallen with it would grow into trees of their own, rising once more. Butler believed in such hope, that even the slightest of glimmer could blossom into a star, and he would fight for that to the ends of the earth, to his dying breath. He didn't want to be a hero, he didn't desire fame or fortune or greatness, all he wanted was to give a chance to this world, to save those who could not save themselves from the foe they now faced. As he watched the dust rise from the charging army, he remembered his duty, both to his friends and to the People. He would not fail them.

Over the rise came the rumbling of the inevitable, the impending tide. Everyone readied their weapons, waiting silently for the enemy to appear. Suddenly, figures began to take shape through the smoke and dust that filled the air, their weapons visible amidst the cloud. Even more came up behind them, easily numbering in the hundreds if not thousands. They couldn't exactly see the LEP officers before them, not yet, but the fairies could see them just fine. With a deep roar, Butler called out to those around him. "Open fire!"

At once, they fired their weapons, sending the neutrino and pulse rounds flying into the advancing force. The attackers dropped like flies, being cut down by the dug in defenders, but such was what the enemy expected, as they were all very replaceable. Butler held down the trigger of his rifle, bullets blasting from the barrel as the weapon recoiled and spent casings flew from the chamber, clattering onto the ground harmoniously. He saved his ammo, putting one round into each opponent, perfectly placed each time to ensure immediate death. But such skill meant little against an enemy so brutal and numerous. Even as the officers fired into their ranks, they kept coming, too many for them to eliminate. It was like using a spoon to try and bale out a sinking ship, it just wasn't enough.

The smoke had cleared by now, revealing the full scope of the force before them. There were easily a thousand daemons moving in on them, along with several dozen tanks and equally as many gunships above. There was no way they could hold the line against such a charge, it would be over in seconds.

As Butler was about to reload, a faint whistling sound came from above, growing into a loud shriek. "Artillery, get down!" He yelled, throwing himself into the nearest blast hole he could find, covering his head protectively. As the other officers dove for cover, a shell landed amongst them, exploding in a cloud of debris and fire. The destruction washed over Butler, who was safe in his foxhole, before dissipating. He rose cautiously, dusting himself off with one had as he held his rifle with the other. Around him, most of the LEP officers were still standing, though several had been caught in the blast and had paid the price. More whistling began to rise above them, meaning all too clear that they had to move, and fast.

"They have our position zeroed in, pull back!" The bodyguard commanded as he fired into the advancing horde. The officers around him did so swiftly, sprinting from their compromised position towards their last defensive line near the plaza. Butler followed them, just barely missing the inbound salvo. As he cleared the area with rocket speed, the entire city block which they had occupied exploded violently, the shock wave shaking the very earth.

Butler kept running, just behind the officers as they made their way to the final defensive line. All across Haven, the other LEP forces were doing the same, the entire front line demolished by the combined enemy assault. Overhead, a gunship burst through the pillar of smoke that rose from the ruined line, flying directly towards Butler. He couldn't take it down, that was for sure, so he sucked in a deep breath and pushed himself even harder, trying to outrun the ship before it opened fire. As he ran through the ruins, the gunship sprayed a salvo of cannon rounds, narrowly missing the human as he dodged the attack. It fired again, this time with several rockets, sending them barreling towards the bodyguard. Butler saw them coming, diving over a civilian vehicle before ducking behind it, praying that it would be enough. The explosion blasted the car, and Butler, across the street, sending him rolling into a pile of wreckage. He was, by some sort of a miracle, alive. He had several deep lacerations in his arms and back, but he ignored them, the pain simply an impertinent distraction that he would have nothing to do with.

He looked up to see the gunship approaching him again. This time there was no way he could run, escape wasn't an option. Butler glared at the ship, pulling out his Sig Sauer smoothly, standing in defiance against the flying monstrosity. He fired again, and again, and again. He shot until the gun was empty, the explosive response from the trigger pull replaced by a pathetic click. The rounds pinged sharply off the armored plates that protected the shuttle, the ship still approaching menacingly. The bodyguard moved to make some sort of escape, one that he knew was futile, but tried nonetheless. He heard the whirring of its auto-cannons as they began to spin, the missiles as they were loaded into the launchers, and the engines as they shrieked. Just as it was about to fire, the noises ceased, replaced by a huge explosion. Butler turned to see the craft fall into the street, half of it completely disintegrated. The ship crashed into the ground, sending flames into the sky as it's reactor overloaded, blasting its remains into oblivion.

Butler turned his attention from the ruined ship to the far end of the street, revealing dozens of LEP officers. The foremost of them was Commander Kelp, who was holding something that was akin to a missile launcher, but a hundred times more advanced. Some of the fairies with him were the ones from the front line, however most of them appeared to be from the reserves. They'd finally been forced to put all remaining forces into the fight, there was no room for holding back.

The bodyguard approached the Commander quickly, putting his Sig Sauer back into its holster. "Thanks for the help, I owe you one." The man said thankfully.

"I'd like to think that we're even now." Trouble replied, lowering the bulky weapon casually.

Butler scanned over the officers behind him. "I take it we're on our last legs then, given that the reserves are deployed and that you are here and not in the police plaza." Butler stated neutrally.

"You could say that." The Commander said. "I've given Foaly control over HQ, he's got the green light to touch off the bio bombs should we be overrun." The elf looked into the distance briefly. "We're going to make our stand by the plaza, all of our other positions have been overrun or cut off. Care to join us Butler?"

"With pleasure." The man mountain said strongly. He looked at all of the heavily armed officers before him. "I need a weapon."

Trouble grinned. "There's plenty to go around." He said, tossing a pulse rifle to the human, who grabbed it instinctively.

They quickly made their way to the police plaza, the sounds of the incoming enemy getting closer by the second. Anti-aircraft fire came up from the HQ, shooting down any gunships that came too close ahead of the main hostile force, buying the infantry some time to pull back to their final positions. Butler and Trouble reached the plaza, which was filled with activity. Almost all of the LEP's remaining units were present, as well as numerous reservists. It was a considerable force, but nothing compared to what they had started with. Soldier's made preparations whilst medics treated the ubiquitous wounded, though without magic only so much could be done. Bodies were lined in rows by the HQ, covered respectfully with white blankets. It was a somber scene, one that accentuated the fact that they would not make it through the next twenty minutes.

The sound of the armored hulks that the daemons used came through the streets, accompanied by the infantry's footfalls and the gunship's engines above.

"They're here!" Trouble yelled through his comm link. "All units, to your stations!"

As the near depleted forces ran to their positions, Butler and Kelp raced to their own, taking up position in the front most series of barriers. Beside them was Corporal Grub Kelp, his weapon ready and his face adamant. He nodded to Trouble, who clasped him on the shoulder. It was almost surreal seeing Grub in such character, as though he wasn't the elf Butler had faced all those years ago. He remembered the time at Fowl manor when he had neutralized the entire LEP retrieval team save Grub, he'd never seen such an unprofessional soldier in his entire life. Yet now, he saw the exact opposite. _Boy how things have changed. _The man thought bemusedly, still taken off guard by the seemingly paradoxical elf beside him.

The noise of the advancing army drew his attention once more to the no man's land before him, the smoke and debris concealing the massive force that was closing in. Together, the three of them waited as death made its final approach.

**Unknown Location**

Artemis sat there in his cavernous prison, watching the screens with tearful eyes. Holly was surrounded, and even though Artemis considered himself optimistic in most situations, he knew this one was hopeless. But even with that looming certainty of death, he watched as Holly stood defiantly to meet the enemy, her stature one of pure pride and certainty, an utter sense of confidence flowing from her. Around her, the other officers did the same, willing to follow her to the depths of hell. It was an awe inspiring show of courage and character, one that Artemis knew only Holly could achieve. He could have sworn he saw a smile on her face through her visor, not one of sadness or anger or fear, but of pure contentment. He coughed despite himself, choking against the oppressing collar as he held back his tears, which were flowing faster than he could blink them away, an unrelenting tide.

"Goodbye Holly." Artemis said quietly, his voice shaking with sadness, but also an enormous degree of pride for his friend.

Opal sat on her throne, oblivious to Artemis' emotion, consuming truffles illiberally as she watched the scene before them with pure delight.

"That's right elf," she hissed venomously. "Die like a hero, but know you'll be buried like an animal."

The sound of the hanger bay played over the speakers, catching every audiological detail along with the video feed; it was like a front row seat to the apocalypse. All of the screens were focused on Holly, depicting every angle possible of the LEP officer with superb clarity, as though one could reach out and touch her battered form and feel the dented surface of her armor. It made Artemis feel so much worse, as it seemed as though his best friend was mere feet away from him, and yet she was so far away, so far from him.

The daemon army began its advance, forming an intricate phalanx out of bayoneted weapons and heavy armor. As one the massive force moved forward, the rumble of their steps ringing methodically as they marched to some unheard beat, steady and tauntingly slow, holding their fire as though they were tormenting their prey with the creeping approach of death. But the fairies stood firm, resolute, utterly confident alongside their leader, prepared to meet doom with a grin. Holly stood dead still, not moving a muscle in the face of destruction, as if it were but air, a worthless obstacle.

Artemis didn't even think of closing his eyes, he wouldn't let himself hide. Despite being so far away, he felt that as long as he looked into her eyes, he would be there beside her, together as they always were, facing the vicissitudes of fate with ease.

As he watched the screens as they displayed the approach of the inevitable, a faint noise began to rise above the others, separating itself from the sounds of menacing annihilation. It began to slowly piece itself together from random tones into a flowing tune, like a puzzle being completed. Opal noticed it too, a look of annoyance on her face. "What is that irritating noise? It's ruining a perfect moment!"

Artemis' eyes widened in recognition, his eyebrow rising curiously. "The opening of act III of _Die Walk__üre_, composed by Richard Wagner in 1851, more commonly known as Ride of the Valkyries."

Opal grumbled something unintelligible, glaring at the screen.

As the music got louder, so did Artemis' certainty in his suspicion, which lit a candle of hope in his heart.

**Haven Terminal - Hangar Bay**

As the music slowly rose, the daemon army stopped uncertainly, looking around for the source of the unforeseen vexation. Holly and the other officers were equally as perplexed, though they didn't take their eyes off of the enemy.

A low rumbling noise began to grow from within the chute, the music growing even louder as numerous other sounds began to rise with it, reverberating off of the chute's walls, echoing around the hangar bay in an epic tone. Holly backed behind the damaged shuttle again, turning around to view the massive expanse of the tunnel with curious eyes, as did the other officers. Were those engines she heard?

A voice rose over the sound of the music, bellowing confidently above the rumbling with a slight amount of glee, though not enough to fully detect.

"Captain, you may want to take cover." Said the familiar Russian articulation.

On cue, dozens of black aircraft rose slowly from below the edge, their engines roaring with hunger. As Holly watched with awe, one massive craft rose directly in front of her, the command bridge visible through the window. Inside stood a familiar figure, who gave a mock salute. Holly grinned as she turned to her officers. "Everybody hit the floor!"

Just as they did so the song reached its climax, complementing the sonata of destruction that was about to be conducted. The hundreds of daemons pointed their weapons at the aircraft, firing relentlessly at the fleet before them. The rounds pinged off of the ships harmlessly, their heavy armor and reactive shields deflecting the monsoon of lead and laser as a bear shrugs off a fly. After a short moment, the fleet gave its own warm welcome to the daemons. As one, like a symphony, over a hundred ships fired their mounted weapons into the enemy ranks, lighting up the air above the LEP operatives like a lighting storm. Gunships and interceptors fired streams of rapid fire into the daemons, launching missiles beside them, cutting swaths of hostiles apart. The massive transports, like the one before Holly, opened fire with the dozens of point defense guns that bristled from them, as well as rockets and miniature bombs from concealed batteries. As the orchestral piece played on, the virtual tsunami of death washed over the battalions of daemons, utterly destroying most of them instantly, rending them to dust by the thousands. Holly and the other officers pressed themselves against the floor, the shock waves from the explosions washing over them like gale force winds, blowing random debris into the abyss below. As the enemy numbers dwindled exponentially, the smaller gunships began circling the hangar's interior, dumping thousands of pulse rounds a second onto the completely screwed invaders, who had stopped firing, instead opting to pull back as fast as they could. But no matter of speed could save them, and in only a minute the entire enemy force had been completely annihilated, not a single one remained standing, or whole for that matter.

When the firing as well as the orchestral music stopped abruptly, Holly rose from the ground, taking her helmet off casually as she watched the ships beginning to land. The transport in which the Commander stood flew overhead before landing slowly in front of Holly and the completely flabbergasted officers, who simply stared blankly, trying to comprehend what had just transpired.

Holly approached the looming monstrosity as its massive ramp lowered, revealing none other than Commander Borislav Dragovich Ivankov. He wore full combat attire, minus any headgear, as well as a walloping grin, one that clearly stated _"How awesome was that?!"_.

The human strode confidently down the ramp towards the Captain. "Captain Holly Short. It's good to see you." He said warmly, extending a hand to the elf.

Holly clasped it firmly, smiling in return. "It's good to see you too Borislav, we would be dead had you not arrived. And great entrance by the way."

The middle aged man grinned. "Indeed, I figured I might as well make a good first impression on these scaly bastards. Of course I had to use Wagner, my boys love it."

Upon finishing the sentence, the his face turned instantly from its pleasant demeanor into one of monumental seriousness, as though a switch were pulled that turned off all merriment. He slowly observed the surrounding destruction with hard eyes, noting the numerous fallen fairies strewn amongst the entropy with a slight frown. He turned to one of his officers, who was exiting the craft along with numerous other personnel. "See to it that all of them get the best medical attention, and please, collect their dead." The officer nodded in acknowledgment, motioning to a team of combat medics and field surgeons, who began administering aid to the injured fairies, who, despite seeing mud men all over the place, accepted it gratefully, knowing that they had very well saved their lives. Around them, the fallen LEP officers were being laid respectfully along side one another, pure white sheets being placed over their lifeless forms, laying them to rest forever.

The Commander and Holly watched the scene before them silently as the wind from the chute blew gently overhead, rustling the detritus on the ground as it was pushed around randomly. Borislav shifted with discomfort, visibly distressed. "I am sorry that we didn't arrive sooner. If we had, these brave men and women wouldn't have met the fates they have now." There was regret in his voice, as though he took responsibility for the deaths of Holly's comrades.

"But you also saved many as well." She assured. "You were right on time."

"I appreciate the consolation Captain, but nothing will change this utter debacle we now face." Borislav looked to Holly once more, fire in his eyes. "Luckily we're already informed on your situation and have packed accordingly, as you can see." He motioned to the transports unloading their contents. From them marched hundreds of armor clad soldiers, armed with impossible amounts of weaponry. Behind them came armored vehicles of all kinds, such as heavily modified Leopard 2 main battle tanks and advanced IFVs. It was an impressive show of military power to say the least. The Commander looked over the scene before them proudly. "When we got word of what had befallen Haven, the council immediately called for our full mobilization and intervention in the conflict. We gathered every unit from all of our branches worldwide. What you see before you is the entirety of our military might."

Holly observed as even more of the large transports began to land, their contents swiftly unloading. Large artillery cannons and MLRS vehicles rolled onto the hangar floor as dozens of gunships flew overhead, their engines causing the wind to blow even stronger.

Borislav looked at his data pad, reading the reports coming in from the units under his command, nodding slowly before turning to Holly again. "Please, this way, and bring all of the officers that are still able to fight. We must discuss the immanent operation." The man said politely, motioning to where a mobile command post was being set up. Holly took up position beside Borislav, her remaining officers in tow. The command post, located under a large tent, consisted of all pre-assembled stations, covering everything from communications to electronic warfare. In the center was a large holo-table, similar to the ones within police plaza, displaying a large tactical map of Haven. Around it were several other human soldiers, all of whom were clearly higher ranking officers, judging by the insignias on their armor.

Upon arriving at the tent, the men saluted Borislav, who did so in return. The three men nodded respectfully to Holly, who did the same. There was no current need to be pedantic over proper military formalities, time was of the essence.

"Alright, let's get started." The commander stated as they gathered around the table, bringing up the tactical map to focus on their current position.

"Our first objective is to rendez-vous with the main body of the LEP forces, which is currently being pushed back to police plaza. Our primary force will advance through the main streets directly downtown, with secondary groups taking position on the flanks. Along the way we will establish periodic defensive positions to form a line, as well as to keep any straggling groups of hostiles from infiltrating behind our units. Tertiary groups will infiltrate behind enemy lines to secure key buildings and facilities that we have a;ready designated. This will be a textbook Blitzkrieg assault. Our artillery and aircraft will strike first, throwing their land forces into disarray and vastly limiting their aerial capabilities whilst disabling their long range cannons. Our armored division will follow suite, advancing directly into the hostile lines with constant air support. Infantry will follow behind, mopping up whatever resistance remains. We will provide all of the force required for the conflict, though I suggest you make use of your remaining aircraft Captain."

He motioned to the LEP hanger. Many of the ships were damaged, however there were at least two dozen of them that appeared functional enough for combat operations. Along with the human air support, that would be enough to turn the tide.

"Once we link up with allied forces at police plaza, we will, using our previously established lines, push the enemy back, giving us some room to breath. All the while, our aircraft and artillery will thin out their forces whilst providing suppressing fire, keeping their reserves from adequately assisting their front line. Once a solid offensive line has been established, we will seek to reactivate the LEP's defense grid. With their DNA cannons as well as our air superiority, we will crush their remaining forces, and push them out of Haven. I've run the numbers, it will work. Any objections?"

When none were voiced, he stood tall once more, a fiercely intense demeanor around him. "Then let's get started."

The human officers took their leave, heading to their respective positions. Holly instructed her unit to man all of the remaining LEP craft before returning her attention to the commander. "I will lead the LEP aerial wing into Haven alongside yours. I'll link up with you once we regain control of the skies."

"Excellent. I will meet you at the police plaza then. Good luck Captain." Borislav said resolutely, giving the elf a crisp salute.

"The same to you Commander." Holly saluted before rushing to the hanger, where the other officers were already manning the aircraft. She eyed one of the LEP interceptors, excitement starting to seep into her mind as she ran her hands over the still unscratched surface of the deadly assault ship. She quickly opened the canopy, jumping in agilely whilst simultaneously activating the start up procedures. After a quick security identification, Holly placed the flight helmet upon her head, its heads up display coming to life, optimizing itself to perfectly fit the elf. As she finished the system checks and began to lift off of the hanger floor, her face begot a small grin; this was going to be fun.

She moved the ship to face the large blast door that led into Haven, two dozen LEP fighters behind her. The gunships and interceptors of their human allies were also forming into position, hovering above the gathering forces below. On the ground, a large group of armor and infantry was in place as it prepared to enter the city, the huge tanks taking the front while the lighter units stood ready behind. Overall, there were one thousand infantry, one hundred tanks, two hundred APCs and IFVs, forty artillery vehicles, fifty gunships, fifty interceptors and twenty five LEP ships. It was a force to be reckoned with for sure.

Through the massive portal stood Haven, alight with countless fires that spewed black smoke into the air, filling the vaulting ceiling with blackness. The signs of battle were concentrated downtown, where the police plaza was located, explosions and gunfire echoing from the war zone in an ominous song as streams of pulse fire flew from the LEP ground positions towards the cloud of daemon gunships above, which fired in turn at the fairies beneath. Below, Holly could make out Ivankov standing on top of one of the tanks, holding a wicked looking assault rifle in his hand. He faced the army before him, nodding approvingly at his men. He activated his comm link, broadcasting to not only the humans and fairies before him, but to every LEP channel in the city.

"I will abstain from making a long speech, for time is of the essence, but let me say this. For thousands of years, humanity and the People have been against one another, foes since the great wars of old. Today we fight a war that will make the past blanch in comparison, a war that will decide the fate of this world, for both man and fairy alike. But it will not be against one another, it will not be one of distrust and hatred and needless loss. This will be one of courage and honor, of sacrifice and brotherhood! Let us put our pasts to rest, and let us wake to a new future. Let us fight side by side, and cast the forces of evil from this place once and for all! What say you?"

The men on the ground, and even the fairies in the air, gave a mighty hoorah, invigorated by the speech. Holly grinned excitedly. "Hoorah indeed."

**Haven – Police Plaza**

The speech came through to the LEP forces fighting for their very lives against the relentless onslaught. Butler and Trouble stood side by side, blasting daemons left and right as they covered each others' blind spots.

The bodyguard fired into an advancing daemon, throwing the monster into a wall. "Is that what I think it is?" He bellowed, tossing a grenade into a hostile squad, blasting them in all directions.

"I believe so." Trouble yelled in return. "It would appear that help has arrived, though in a form that I hardly expected." Three daemons jumped over their defensive barrier, brandishing large blades. Grub Kelp, who was a few feet from them, turned swiftly, shooting one marauder before it touched the ground.

Butler rammed the butt of is rifle into the gut of another one, sending it tumbling to the ground. The third had an intimate encounter with the man's fist, which send it back flipping over the barrier, landing on several more approaching enemies.

The human brought his rifle to bear, once more resuming his assault on anything that moved before him. "Then let's hope they get here fast, we won't be able to last much longer!" He bellowed.

Trouble nodded as he fired his rifle. Suddenly an alert sounded on his HUD. It was Foaly. The elf activated the link. "What have you got Foaly?"

The centaur's voice was not the depressed one he'd heard before. This one was clearly ecstatic. _"The jamming signals that were blocking our link to Holly have been eliminated, most likely by the humans that have just arrived."_

Trouble's heart leaped. "Is she alive? Tell me Foaly!"

The centaur's voice came through again, as joyful as before. _"By the gods she is! And she's got a virtual army with her. She's currently launching the remaining LEP attack craft, which she is leading personally."_

Trouble grinned. So she'd defied death again. The Commander was greatly relieved by the news, a massive weight rising off his chest. Butler noticed the elf's sudden change in demeanor, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Good news I take it?" He asked as he kicked a daemon in the face.

"The best." Trouble replied confidently, a fierce look kindling in his eyes.

Overhead, the large fleet of daemon gunships that were barraging them suddenly stopped, their guns halting their deadly work. Almost dismissively, the craft turned away from the police plaza, bringing themselves around to face the terminal. On the ground, a large detachment from both the daemon infantry and armor changed course as well, making their way rapidly towards the new threat. As dozens of daemon gunships screamed through the sky, their killing intent now fixed on the intervening forces, Butler and Trouble watched quietly.

"Let's hope they're up to the task." Butler rumbled.

"Don't worry about that." Commander Kelp stated resolutely. "They've got this." _Go get 'em Holly._

An explosion rocked the square once more, the remaining hostiles resuming their assault on the LEP defenders. The human and elf turned their attention back to the task at hand, meeting the deadly horde with newly restored vigor and determination.

**Unknown Location**

Opal growled in frustration as she watched the live feed from her throne, her eyes glowing bright crimson as pure animosity covered her face. Only moments ago she had been certain that Holly would perish, she was so eager to see her torn limb from limb that it hurt, but now such things had come to an abrupt halt thanks to the intervention of a force of unknown humans._ Humans!_ She thought incredulously. _Since when were they so willing to help the People?! Since when did so many know of their existence! _It was impossible to think that a group of those inferior apes had somehow learned of the People's presence and not used such knowledge for their own selfish gain, that they had acquired technology comparable to the LEP's best, and most especially that they somehow did this under her nose. Nothing escaped her, not even the most minute detail, and yet an entire organization had done so?!

The enraged pixie huffed loudly, her face twitching with murderous desires. "How is this even possible!" She snarled, tapping her fingers impatiently on her armrest.

Artemis, who was filled with an incredible amount of relief, grinned slightly. _So there's the missing variable. Now it's all coming together quite nicely._

He looked at Opal, noting her distress. "It appears that you missed a spot during your planning, oh _all powerful_ Koboi." He said, seeking to further harass the pixie. To his delight, she reacted.

"Shut up!" She squealed. "You're only alive because I want you to be. Don't make me change my mind." Opal's threat was, however, full of holes. Artemis knew that she couldn't kill him, such was not part of her ultimate plan, and he could read her emotions like an open book. It was elementary really.

The boy let out another internal sigh of relief. He'd been almost certain that Holly was finished, that there was no way out for his friend. Yet again, by luck and fate, she'd been saved. Had Ivankov been a minute off, it would be an entirely different situation. Still, Artemis reprimanded himself for not seeing this coming. Sure, he'd expected some sort of response, but this fast? Clearly he had underestimated their efficiency.

Artemis looked to the feeds again, noting the scale and content of the human forces, comparing it with the hostile army that it was about to face. All things considered, victory was a distinct possibility, and with Holly in the skies, it was a certainty. However, such calculations depended on Opal not having any more reinforcements to throw into the fight, which was another unknown variable at the time.

That said, if Haven's defenses were online, such wouldn't matter, as Foaly had the most sophisticated and powerful defense grid in the world. _Judging by what I've been told, Opal has made sure that Foaly's network is shut down and inaccessible, therefore the ops booth must be ruined. However, given Foaly's propensity to be inconceivably paranoid, I highly doubt he'd be without a backup. Maybe he has one in his basement...But that's just ridiculous._

Artemis' thought process was interrupted by a fist hitting him in the face. The force of the blow threw the boy to the ground with lighting speed, knocking him unconscious for a brief second. He lay there on the cold floor for a brief second, spots in his vision, and a migraine forming in his head.

After a good deal of writhing, Artemis sat up, looking at the source of the sudden assault. Opal stood there, her fists clenched, her blood red eyes glowing angrily.

"That felt satisfying." She said with a malevolent grin. "Frankly, I should do that whenever I am perturbed, it's quite cathartic really. Besides, I've been meaning to do that for quite a while, and there's no better time to do it than when you're in one of your little thought spells, oh how I enjoy wiping that contemplative look off of your insolent face."

Artemis rubbed his jaw absentmindedly as she walked back to her seat. "I know I can't kill you, you called my bluff on that one. However, that doesn't mean that I can't seriously injure you. In fact, I think that will prove to be a great source of entertainment once this is over. Just think; I can beat until you're within a hair's breadth of death, and then I can heal you. Then I can do so again, and again, and again!" She laughed vilely. "You're anything but untouchable kid, remember that!"

Her deadly eyes turned towards the screens, observing the new foe that had emerged unexpectedly. "Now that that's taken care of, what to do with these fools. They'll all die of course, but in what manner? How tough a decision. But then again, variety's the spice of life is it not?" The pixie smiled devilishly. "They may have caught me off guard, I'll give them that, but their intervention will by no means change a thing. Their fate is now intertwined with that of the LEP, so the only difference they're making is that instead of dying separately, they'll all die together."

The screens now showed a good two thirds of the daemon army breaking off, making their way towards the terminal. It was a massive force, easily outnumbering the combined human-fairy group. But numbers do not win a battle, and as far as Artemis could tell, the odds were greatly favoring their allies. Besides, with Holly leading an aerial assault, there's not much that could stop them. The boy watched intently, silently wishing his friends luck in the battle to come.

Opal watched the feeds carefully, as if searching for something. After a minute she zeroed in on a particular LEP fighter, Short's. The pixie focused on Holly, who was now hovering in an LEP assault ship, gritting her teeth in hatred as she opened a channel to her army. "All ships, your primary target is LEP captain Holly Short. Destroy her!" The pixie sat back, anticipation growing on her face. "Alright, Short, let's see what you're made of!"

**Haven – Eastern Limits, Near Haven Terminal**

Holly sat in the cockpit of the LEP assault ship, her eyes completely focused on the city before her. What she was looking at in particular was the massive number of enemy units coming her way. Thousands of daemon infantry and hundreds of tanks swept over the ruined landscape, a wave of steel and fire that crushed everything in its path. Above them flew a plethora of gunships, their speed rising as they closed in on the allied forces. Around the Captain were dozens of fighters, both human and fairy, all organized into squadrons, their weapons hot and ready. Below was the entire human army, its numbers stretched out in a thick line of armored vehicles and infantry. Behind these units were a number of high powered artillery guns and numerous multiple launch rocket systems, their barrels already zeroed in on the advancing enemies, who were about five kilometers away

Commander Ivankov observed the incoming horde with a calculating look, the army around him awaiting the order. After a brief second of thought, the man spoke into his comm link. "Artillery, commence bombardment."

Almost instantly, the guns responded, firing together with a monstrous boom. The cannons recoiled, dust rising from the ground on which they were planted, sending their high yield shells screaming towards the daemon legions. The MLRS vehicles unloaded their deadly payload as well, missiles streaming from their launch tubes and into the sky, arcing gracefully through the smoke filled air. The ordinance was composed of upgraded conventional shells and bio-bomb like missiles, giving the best of both worlds to the invading monsters. To its credit, the daemon army didn't even slow, but rather kept coming as the artillery rounds closed in on them with dreadful speed.

The voice of the artillery observer came through on the channel. "All units be advised, touchdown in three, two, one..."

A series of massive explosions shook the ground as hundreds of missiles and shells landed amongst the hostile force, erupting in gigantic balls of fire and blue energy discharges, the HE shells rending armor and tanks to ribbons whilst the bio-missiles atomized daemon infantry by the hundreds. Fierce, hot wind blew through the air as the bombardment continued, shock waves shaking the earth. Holly watched the shelling with awe, the sheer scale of the destruction mind blowing. It as though a wall of blue fire had consumed a fifth of the city, utterly engulfing a good portion of the charging horde. But such wasn't going to be sufficient enough to stop them. Even as the ground was torn asunder, most of the daemon gunships were unscathed, only a few of them being struck by incoming shells. With the earth burning below them, thus slowing the advance of the ground forces, the aircraft pushed forward, seeking to engage the army on their own.

Borislav, who was observing the carnage from the forward command post that had been set up behind the infantry, took the cue. Again, he casually brought up his communicator, speaking calmly into it. "Squadrons Alpha through Iota, engage all hostile gunships. Squadrons Kappa through Omega, advance to forward positions, assume a defensive grid behind offensive squadrons, engage any hostiles that break through." He then opened up a link to Holly. "Captain, I'll let you lead the charge if you so desire, you are free to engage, though do save some for the rest of us."

Holly grinned. "Roger that, though the second part may be too much to ask for."

The Commander chuckled. "Alright, good luck. Ivankov out."

Holly looked forward once more to the war that beckoned her to join in against the evil that filled the skies. Behind her the LEP fighters awaited her orders, along with the human ships. With a determined voice the elf sounded the charge. "This is Captain Short, call sign Havoc. All ships, form up on me."

She opened up the throttle, blasting the ship's engines to full power, the blue energy glowing out from the rear of the ship. With a powerful jolt the assault ship gunned forward, the G-force pressing Holly to the seat, she senses soaking up the thrill gleefully. She lived to fly these craft, to defy as many obstacles as possible, to be free in the skies. Such was she now, though she knew that duty awaited, and that no matter how exhilarating it was to push the fighter, there were lives to be saved.

The enemy gunships were spread out before her, deadly blotches in the sky at a distance, but ever growing in size as they neared. Behind her, over once hundred aircraft took up position, forming into attack formations. Holly brought up her targeting reticle, which instantly highlighted the hundreds of gunships ahead, calculating their distance, speed and trajectories. She designated targets swiftly, locking onto several dozen of the foremost ships. The rest of the ships around her were doing the same, their weapons systems ready to unleash death at a moments notice.

Holly spoke into her comm link resolutely. "All ships, fire on my mark."

The distance between the two fleets was diminishing quickly, now only three kilometers apart. The Captain took a deep breath, flexing her fingers on the control wheel, her thumb hovering over the fire command. This was way past anything she'd ever done, but that made it all the more exciting. _Bring it on!_

With an unshakable confidence she yelled the command. "All units, engage at will!"

A fraction of a second later, all hell broke loose.

The skies lit up as the entire fleet alongside her opened fire, releasing hundreds of missiles and a wave of laser rounds, sending a literal wall of deadly munitions into the advancing daemon fleet. Holly pressed her fire commands, blasting two dozen rockets at the targeted ships. Along with hundreds of others, the weapons hit their marks, igniting the air with the resulting explosions, sending a good third of the hostile ships to the earth below in balls of fire.

The remaining daemon ships returned fire, unloading a sea of missiles and cannon rounds. "All ships break formation, initiate countermeasures and begin evasive maneuvers!"

The allied fleet broke formation, the ships launching decoys and using small point defense cannons to target the incoming missiles. Many of the approaching missiles exploded as the countermeasures met them, however some broke through, locking onto the nearest ships. The pilots of the craft threw their ships into overdrive, seeking to outrun the pursuing devices. Several ships, including two of Holly's officers, were hit, the missiles exploding upon proximity to the fighters, sending them spiraling out of control. Holly grimaced, increasing her efforts to destroy the hostiles as the two fleets collided violently. But before she could target any other ships, the elf was alerted to three missiles behind her, their sleek forms speeding towards her ship. "Not gonna happen." She said angrily.

The elf activated the overdrive, pushing her ship even faster into the enemy lines, the missiles in hot pursuit. As she neared a squadron of enemy ships, she activated her countermeasures, sending several decoys off to the sides. The decoys flew right into the enemy formation, which began to break into evasive maneuvers, knowing what Holly was trying to pull. Of course, they were too late. Before any of the five craft could get clear, the missiles rammed the decoys, exploding violently, sending a massive blast into the ships, the shrapnel tearing them to pieces. Holly grinned as the ships went up in flames, falling onto the advancing enemy below.

Around her, many of the ships had expended their long range missiles and were now locked in an intense dogfight all over Haven, the skies a beehive of fighters engaging each other. On the ground below, Holly could make out the police plaza, as well as the enormous amount of combat taking place around it. Fires sprung up around the plaza, the flashes of gunfire blinking rapidly all over the area as hundreds of weapons were discharged at once. As if on cue, a garbled transmission came through on her helmet. It was Foaly.

_"By the gods Holly am I glad to see you!"_ He said happily.

"It's good to be back." She said, speaking to the centaur casually as she tore through enemy aircraft with her high powered cannons. That makes thirty kills. "How are things holding up down there?"

_"Your arrival took a lot of pressure off of us, but we're still severely outgunned. They're artillery is tearing us apart."_ Foaly answered, loud rumbles audible through his transmission as the HE rounds pummeled the building.

Holly threw her ship into a loop, coming up on the flank of a gunship that was tailing her. "I'll take care of those guns Foaly, just hold on." She said as she lit up the enemy craft, sending it blazing into an enemy tank column. The resulting fireball rose high into the sky, Holly flying through it without hesitation, emerging on the other side without a scratch.

She scanned the surrounding area, following the trails that the enemy artillery shells made in the air. It didn't take her long to find their source, which was several dozen large guns set up on the North side of Haven, their muzzle blasts more than visible as they blasted the LEP HQ. Holly threw the right engine into reverse, spinning the ship abruptly in the direction of the enemy cannons. She brought up her comm link to two of her fellow officers who were in her area. "Rex, Cypher, form on me, our target is the hostile artillery positions."

She waited for a second, then heard one of the officers respond. _"Roger Havoc, we've got your six."_

Two LEP fighters took up formation behind her, matching her speed exactly as they approached the enemy placements. "Rex, take left. Cypher take right. I'll take center."

_"Roger that Havoc."_

The the craft split up, each targeting separate sections of the artillery positions, which were still firing towards the plaza, oblivious to the inbound fighters.

Holly highlighted the dozen guns as she sped towards them, readying her remaining missiles to fire. At one click out she opened up, twelve missiles shooting forward with blinding speed. The two ships with her did the same, letting loose all of their projectiles into the cannons. Together, they hit the artillery in unison, completely obliterating the massive guns. As the three fighters flew over the destruction, the ammunition stockpiled beside the cannons ignited, creating a colossal wall of flame, almost consuming the trio of LEP assault craft with their hungry crimson clouds.

**Unknown Location**

Opal screamed in rage as she watched Holly obliterate her forces, banging her fists on the stone armrests, cracking them with the force of the impact. Her eyes glowed impossibly bright, her crimson pupils full of vituperation.

Artemis, on the other hand, was thrilled beyond any level of measurement, a large grin on his bruised face as he observed the elf's handiwork. Surely the tide was turning, this time for good.

Koboi seethed as she glared daggers at the elf's fighter craft, her features twitching violently. Finally, seemingly utterly sick of the LEP captain's actions, the nefarious pixie stood up abruptly, pointing at the screen in spite of herself, yelling into her communicator with complete exasperation. "All available gunships target that LEP fighter! Bring Short down! Kill her! Kill her!"

**Haven City**

Captain Holly short fired a flurry of laser rounds into a passing gunship, tearing it asunder as she steered her ship higher into the air.

As Holly rocketed into the sky, she called Foaly up again on her comm link. "Their artillery has been neutralized."

Foaly responded quickly, his voice hurried. _"That's great Holly, though I think you should pay attention to those bandits on your tail!"_

Holly quickly checked her sensors. Sure enough, there were thirty gunships right behind her, and they looked rather ticked off. Looks like she just stirred up a bee's nest.

"Break formation!" She yelled to her two comrades. Before they could, however, the enemy ships fired into their formation, striking the two fighters with well over twelve rockets each. Holly fumed as the ships burst into flames, their once streamlined forms now twisted and gnarled as they plummeted to the fiery streets below.

"Now you've done it!" She growled angrily.

With the small fleet of ships trailing her Holly punched her craft into overdrive, pushing the fighter to breakneck speeds as the pursuing hostiles tried to keep up. Good thing for Holly, the daemons had used their remaining rockets on her comrades, now they only had cannons to try and take the elf down. They might as well have had slingshots.

As the elf pushed her ship forward, weaving around the sky as she dodged the plethora of cannon fire from the trailing fleet, another group of thirty gunships rose from the smoke directly in front of her, firing dozens of missiles right at her. Holly pressed her fire control, blasting several of the incoming weapons from the sky, though the others remained intact. She checked behind her, happy to find the group of daemon ships still there, a mass of aircraft that would undoubtedly attract any heat seeking missile. Clenching her teeth, the elf threw her engines into reverse, dropping the speed of her ship to almost zero in a split second, the force of the sudden change of velocity pressing against Holly as she gritted her teeth, fighting the G-force with sheer willpower.

Before they knew it, the daemon ships that were behind her suddenly found themselves way past the LEP Captain, and right in the path of the missiles. The craft broke formation, scrambling to evade the missiles as they locked onto their heat signatures, following them relentlessly. In a shower of fire and melted metal, two dozen of the gunships exploded, their wrecked forms flying into several other enemy fighters as they weaved through the destruction, sending them whirling out of control. As the daemon ships emerged from the cloud of fire, they were met by the other group of craft that had fired the missiles, and subsequently rammed right into them. It was a brilliant show of fireworks to say the least.

Holly grinned with satisfaction, throwing her ship forward once more towards the now disoriented hostile gunships. With a roar she opened up, her four heavy guns blasting into the jumble of unorganized craft, cutting through several of them instantly. She rocketed past their formation, making a steep climb as she came around for another pass. As she regained visual sight of the daemon ships, she fired again, picking four more of them apart as they sought to regain control over the situation. When Holly passed them for the second time, the remaining ships managed to reorganize themselves, diverting power to their engines as they whooshed after the elf's fighter. Several other gunships joined them as they came at Holly with murderous speed, making the remaining pursuers number thirty-seven. Again, Holly was engaged in a game of evasion, dodging streams of hot lead and 30mm cannon rounds as they chased after her. She was getting tired of these daemons.

Without a moments notice the Captain threw her ship into a steep turn, blasting towards the now ruined downtown district. The area was swarming with daemons, not a single fairy, which made Holly comfortable with what she was about to do. The gunships fired at her relentlessly, the bright tracer rounds flying by her ship, mere inches away from hitting her. She went into a steep dive, leveling out only a few dozen meters from the earth, weaving her way in between the many burnt out buildings as she tried to shake her pursuers. Despite this, they kept on her tail, their piloting skills better than she had anticipated. Out of nowhere, a cannon round clipped her wing, sending a tremor through the ship but otherwise having little effect. Holly gritted her teeth, she needed to lose these gunships and fast. As she looked ahead at the taller structures in the city, Holly got an idea. One of the largest buildings in Haven, a fifty story banking tower, loomed before her, its burnt out skeleton visibly brittle and weak. The elf grinned despite herself; she'd never liked that bank.

With the thirty-seven gunships hot on her tail, the Captain targeted the base of the approaching tower. With a burst of laser fire the bottom of the structure shattered into shards of stone and clouds of dust, causing the whole building to shake precariously, slowly tilting to one side. Holly dodged several cannon bursts, focusing on the now falling tower that she was closing in on. The daemon ships were still on her, blindly following the elf with killing intent, their sole purpose to destroy her. The structure was now halfway to the ground, its massive bulk crumbling, a shower of debris falling from it as it collapsed to the dead streets. She had only seconds to make it through. Holly narrowed her eyes, pushing her ship even faster. For a second it looked as though she wouldn't make it, but for Holly there was plenty of space. With a sonic boom the elf blasted under the falling tower, missing being crushed by a fraction of a second, the edges of her ship nearly touching the building above and the ground below. With an enormous thud the structure met the earth, exploding in a shower of dust and shrapnel. The daemon gunships, who were only a few seconds behind Holly's tail, had little time to react. Eight managed to evade the solid monstrosity, the other twenty-nine were not so lucky. With a loud crash stone and metal met, the ships crumpling like tin cans upon impact, smashing through the side of the building before detonating destructively.

Holly sped her ship away from the site, trying to distance herself from the remaining gunships. When they, yet again, pursued the elf, she opted to try something new. Holly pulled up into a steep rise, one that the daemons couldn't accomplish with their ships. As they fell behind, the elf watched as the ceiling got closer and closer, its looming expanse growing larger and larger. When it seemed as though she would collide with the solid roof, she cut the engines. The LEP assault ship glided up for a brief moment before coming to a midair standstill. As it began to fall, Holly manipulated the craft so that it faced the dive. As she began to fall, she saw the eight gunships below, rising to meet her. Holly let the ship free fall for a few seconds until the daemons fired their cannons. In a split second the elf brought the engines online and put it to full power, shooting the ship forward, dodging the high powered rounds. Then she returned fire. As she spiraled out of the sky at blinding speed, Holly unloaded into the eight gunships, who couldn't track her sufficiently enough to fire back. One by one she dove past each gunship, leaving several dozen laser blasts in each of them. As she passed the last one, she pulled out of her dive, leveling out as the eight ships exploded behind her, creating a string of fire across the sky.

Around the city, allied aircraft were mopping up what was left of the enemy fleet, starting to change their focus to the remaining daemon ground forces, which were in utter disarray. On the far side of the city, the human armored division had started its advance, cutting through the broken enemy lines like a hot knife through butter, the infantry following suite, clearing out any pockets of resistance that remained. The distant sounds of dozens of 120mm tank guns and 30mm chain guns echoed through the air, the resulting explosions pummeling the daemons. Overall, the only significant concentration of hostile forces was around the police plaza, where there was still intense fighting taking place. Holly didn't wait for a second, knowing that her friends were still in severe combat, death still a high possibility for them. The elf pushed the craft to full power, flying towards the plaza as fast as she could, the assault ship's engines blaring above the combat below.

**Haven – Police Plaza**

The stone surface of the plaza crumbled as laser blasts bombarded the ground, tearing up massive chunks of debris and casting it high into the air. Cracks formed in the already heavily damaged terrain as gigantic treads rumbled monstrously, the looming daemon tanks advancing into the square with ease. The LEP forces were being pushed back swiftly, their defensive barriers and any unfortunate officer being run over by the enemy armor, their heavy plates deflecting the small arms fire that was being thrown at them. Daemon infantry poured into the square behind the vehicles, unleashed a withering wall of lead towards the dug in fairies.

Butler, Trouble and Grub were behind the charred remains of a crashed daemon gunship, using its heavy armor as shelter from the devastating barrage. They had long since expended their neutrino rocket launchers, now having only small arms and grenades, which did little to stop the marauding tanks that were flattening the plaza. A laser blast from one of the vehicles flew right by their position, exploding into the side of the police plaza, blowing a sizable chunk off of the building.

Grub winced as another laser round struck an LEP position just to their right, killing the occupants instantly. "We won't be able to do much of anything with those tanks out there Trouble!"

Trouble threw a grenade over the shuttle, landing it amongst the advancing daemons. "That's quite apparent Grub. We just have to hold out a little but longer."

Butler shielded his face as the blast from a nearby explosion send chunks of pavement through the air. He fired his pulse rifle into a group of enemy infantry that had breached the barriers, mowing them down. "We might not have a little longer, we're at a severe disadvantage against those tanks. I'd advise an organized retreat, but there's nowhere to retreat to."

Trouble checked his communicator, reading the grid locations of a certain LEP captain. "I wouldn't worry about that." He grinned.

"And why's that." Grub asked as he blind fired into the enemy lines.

Before Trouble could answer, the blaring noise of the supercharged reactor powered engines of an LEP assault ship pierced the air above, eliciting the attention of the hostile forces as well. Along with the ever rising sound came the steady response of heavy laser cannons, the distant blasts closing in rapidly. As the daemon tanks turned their barrels to face the approaching ship, a relentless stream of laser rounds poured from the sky, tearing into the vehicles with deadly efficiency, blasting them to pieces. Daemon infantry were atomized as the tanks' reactors overloaded, the subsequent explosions consuming the entire enemy advance.

The scream of the engines reached a climax as an LEP assault ship strafed over the square, still firing its cannons ferociously, further decimating the daemon forces. After passing the square at extremely high speeds, the pilot of the craft pulled up steeply, spinning gracefully as the fighter rose into the sky.

Trouble looked at Grub again, a grin on his face. "That's why."

With the majority of the hostile armor now in shambles, the LEP forces renewed their efforts to throw the now decimated daemon division from the square. Butler, Trouble and Grub, along with dozens of other officers, removed themselves from their cover, bringing their weapons to bear on the recovering daemon infantry. Hundreds of rounds were sent into the enemy units, blasting many them off of their feet as others fired stubbornly back at the fairies. Overhead, more allied aircraft began to appear, now in complete control of the skies. With the remaining LEP ground forces on the offensive, the allied gunships began their attack runs, strafing the enemy units with their mounted guns, mowing them down mercilessly with their rapid fire cannons.

Trouble blasted several daemons to the right, sending them crumpling to the ground. Beside him, Grub Kelp was doing the same, firing professionally at any enemy that presented itself. Butler, on the other hand, had opted for an even more aggressive approach. Taking point in the LEP charge, the man mountain fired from his rifle in one hand expertly into dozens of daemon soldiers, using his other hand to fire his Sig Sauer, unleashing unforgiving lead into the attackers. Upon reaching a barrier, the man vaulted over it, landing amidst seven very unlucky hostiles. Before they could bring their weapons against him the bodyguard used his rifle as a club, smashing five of them to the ground with a powerful swing. Whilst he swung the rifle, Butler pistol whipped another one, crushing its skull as it tried to dodge the attack. The last one made a move to stab the human with its bayonet, but met Butler's foot instead, which send it cartwheeling through a nearby wall.

Around him, the daemon forces were being pushed back, their numbers falling exponentially as the officers on the ground and the ships in the air gunned them down. In the distance, a number of large explosions blew into the rear lines of the enemy force, followed by the sound of dozens of armored vehicles. With a crash, a large group of allied tanks burst into the square, obliterating the barriers that sought to impede their advance. The heavily modified Leopard 2 main battle tanks fired their main guns into the hostile positions, disintegrating everything in their path with resounding explosions. Along with the tanks came numerous infantry fighting vehicles, their 30mm chain guns cutting into the enemy lines with deadly accuracy as they crushed others with their unforgiving treads. The combined power of the allied armor and the LEP forces completely overwhelmed the remaining daemon units, defeating them in a matter of minutes.

As the last of the daemon division fell to the allied assault, Commander Kelp, along with most of the remaining LEP forces, approached the armored platoon that had emerged into the square, the massive vehicles looming over them. Kelp stopped at about fifteen paces from the foremost of the tanks, waiting expectantly as further human forces entered the square, the infantry catching up to the mechanized units. For a moment, there was complete silence between the two groups, not a single move by either to bridge the gap between them. The top hatch of the lead battle tank flipped open slickly, a man in full combat dress emerging smoothly, the full face gear that most of the human infantry wore covering his features entirely. One his shoulders were the rank insignias of a commander.

The human jumped from the turret, landing solidly on the crumbled stone below, the impact of combat boots making a small cloud of dust at his feet which hung lazily in the air. He calmly reached up to his face, removing the helmet, revealing the fierce middle aged face of Commander Ivankov. With a commanding gait that man walked towards Trouble, purpose emanating from him. The LEP commander did the same, approaching the man confidently. The two armies watched quietly as the human and fairy leaders met in the middle, the distant sound of allied units clearing out pockets of resistance echoing faintly through the air.

When they were within arms reach of each other, Ivankov reached out a hand to Kelp, who grabbed it without a moment's hesitation.

"Well met, Commander." Borislav stated formally, shaking the elf's smaller hand firmly.

"Very well met indeed, Commander." Trouble replied.

There was an invisible sign of relief from everyone watching, the previous tension in the air now gone, blown away by a gentle breeze.

Ivankov released the elf's hand, nodding slightly at the Commander. "It's good to finally see you in the flesh. When we communicated last time I was going to suggest some appropriate negotiation actions between us. However, I believe that this will suffice." The man had the faintest hint of a grin on his face.

Trouble nodded in concurrence. "It most definitely will. I am, admittedly, hesitant to accept help from humans, but you very well saved this city, and you have my gratitude."

Despite all of the elf's negative views on humanity, he wouldn't allow it to influence his interactions with the ones that were before him now. Even though they were mud men, they had literally saved their skin, arriving just in the nick of time to turn the tide of war. Without them, he'd very well be dead by now, along with Holly, Foaly, Butler and the rest of his officers. It was a surreal thing for Trouble. He'd never in a million years believe what was transpiring as possible, and yet here it was. Maybe humans could change after all.

Around the two commanders, the fairy and human forces had resumed their duties professionally, the two races mingling as human medics assisted the wounded, and soldiers, though awkwardly at first, conducting almost casual conversation with one another. Overhead, an LEP assault ship screamed through the sky, its speed dropping as it brought itself to a hover over the square. The ship lowered slowly onto an area of semi-intact stone, its landing gear lowering to meet the torn up surface below. With a barely audible thump that craft landed in the square, a few meters from the two leaders.

Trouble grinned at the ship. "I believe you've already met Captain Short." He stated.

"Of course." The man said as the canopy raised. "How can anyone forget her."

Holly jumped from the ship's cockpit, landing nimbly on the hazardous surface of the plaza. Removing her helmet, the elf walked gingerly up to the two commanders.

"Ah, Captain. It's good to see you." Borislav greeted, assessing the partially damaged fighter craft before him. "You really gave those buggers hell. I haven't seen such talented piloting skills in my entire life. Quite reckless, but highly effective. What's your final tally?"

The female officer grinned, still exhilarated by the dogfight. "One hundred and twenty-nine bandits." She stated with a great degree of bravado. Holly usually didn't like to brag, but she'd just taken down enough aircraft to qualify for fighter ace fifty times over.

As Ivankov gave a slow clap for Holly's kill count, Trouble stepped up to the captain. "It's good to have you back Short, we were worried that we lost you back there."

Holly nodded solemnly, remembering the brutal combat within the hangar. "You almost did, we were completely surrounded. Had our allies not intervened, we'd all be at the wrong end of a gun right now."

Commander Kelp looked at the ground, a slight frown on his face. "I hate to admit, but we owe them one."

Such words were clearly difficult for the elf to say. He'd always had a biased view on humanity, even towards Artemis despite him saving their people numerous times before. Maybe after this he'd leave some room for acceptance.

Commander Ivankov looked at his communicator, an impassive look on his face. "We should head to your command room, I must confer with your specialist, Foaly, as well as further discuss this conflict. We may have won this battle, but something tells me that things are far from over."

Everyone agreed, Trouble taking up lead as they passed through the square. Butler, who was cleaning his excessively used Sig Sauer once again, walked up beside them, nodding respectfully to Borislav, who simply nodded back. Words need not be shared between professional men such as themselves, mere gestures spoke volumes.

Activity raced around them as they walked through the smokey halls of the HQ, some sections completely blocked off by debris from the bombardment. Many of the open rooms had been converted into makeshift field hospitals, filled with many wounded who were being tended by highly skilled doctors and surgeons. It was a morbid scene, but it also conveyed hope. It was much preferable that there be many wounded as opposed to many dead. Once the medical warlocks refill their magic, there was little that they couldn't treat. For now, however, the task fell to the human medical professionals, who were highly effective despite their lack of magic.

The foursome made their way past the busy areas of the building, reaching the command room without incident. As Holly entered the room, she was tackled by a certain overjoyed centaur.

"Thank the gods Holly you're alright, I was so worried about you!" Foaly said happily.

Holly didn't like hugs very much, but she let it slide again. "I won't be alright if you keep doing this. It hasn't been twenty four hours and this is the second time you've nearly smothered me." She said jokingly, happy to see her friend alive and well.

The others were standing around the room, an awkward silence forming as they watched the two embrace. Borislav cleared his throat abruptly. "Alright, now that we've taken care of the obligatory sentimental actions, let us gather around the table, shall we?"

Everyone with the exception of Trouble, who was slightly vexed by the human commanding them around in their own base of operations, complied without complaint. The holo-table, which was situated in the center of the room, was alight with the top-down battle map displaying the battleground that was once Haven. Much unlike earlier, the red symbols for the routed daemon forces were vastly outnumbered by the blue allied units, which were actively clearing the city. Foaly had already highlighted the human forces as friendlies, and had made a broadcast further cementing that fact. He clearly wanted to avoid any misunderstandings with Atlantis' reinforcements on their way.

Borislav put his hands on the table, looking to each of the room's occupants before beginning. "So far, our forces have reduced the hostile divisions by ninety eight percent, the other two will soon follow. We have established a defensive line across the city and are preparing for any further offensive actions that the enemy may take. We may have beaten their current army, but our sensors cannot penetrate the interference emanating from the North entrance, thus it is safe to assume that they may have more units waiting to be deployed."

Butler, who was polishing his gun absentmindedly, spoke up with a rumble. "What of the source of this attack? Do we know anything about them that could lead us to Artemis?"

The human commander shook his head slowly. "Apart from the fact that they are a genetically mutated species clearly manufactured for war, that they are well supplied, and that they operate with the sole purpose to destroy us, not that much. We have been able to link a number of above ground weapons smugglers to the weapons being used here, such as the one that Captain Short encountered in Ireland, but there is no trail to follow. Whoever is behind this is most definitely highly intelligent, highly experienced, and highly malevolent."

Holly frowned. "I can think of a few that match the profile. Problem is that they're all supposedly dead."

Trouble looked at the map carefully. "Whatever it is, it seems to have a great deal of interest in Fowl. Though that mud boy has obviously made countless enemies in his life, only a few are capable of this, and only one has had multiple dealings with him."

"Opal." Butler growled, anger evident in his voice.

Holly grimaced, the conflicts against the pixie still fresh in her memory. "But she's dead. Both her past and present self died almost two years ago."

"But then again, I doubt she would let death stop her. She may have found a way back, which is highly unlikely, but when you take obscure magical lore into consideration, it is plausible." Foaly stated, the centaur growing nervous at the mention of his arch rival.

Borislav nodded thoughtfully. "That very well may be the case, but we can't prove it yet. Regardless, we need to find the puppeteer behind these monsters, and fast."

An alert sounded on Foaly's wrist console. The centaur looked at it briefly. "The Atlantean forces have arrived, they're currently entering the city via the terminal. Don't worry about them going trigger happy on your men, commander, I've informed them about the situation."

"And how did they take the news?" The human asked.

"They accepted it, but they weren't very happy about it." Foaly replied.

As if to further accentuate the point, the doors to the command room burst open, an extremely infuriated looking elven general storming into the room. The elf was larger than most, four inches taller than the ones around him. He had graying hair and an aged face that looked fierce and authoritative, giving him the persona of an unforgiving drill sergeant. He wore combat attire, the gleaming acorns from his rank insignia visibly apparent on his chest. To complete the appearance, a large cigar stuck out of the corner of the general's mouth, thick smoke fuming from it. All in all, he was quite intimidating.

"Commander Kelp! You better have a good reason for this!" He yelled, glaring at Ivankov as he approached the group. "First Haven is laid to waste by an army of mutated freaks, and now the place is crawling with mud men! I don't know which is worse!"

Trouble addressed the general formally and calmly. "There is a perfectly sound explanation for all of this General Winters. I will personally detail the events of the past few days as well as prepare the necessary reports." He paused for a moment, a sad look crossing his face. "Furthermore, I take full responsibility as commander for what has befallen Haven. However, I believe that we should put all of this behind us for now, we need to focus on the situation at hand." He looked at the human commander, who was completely placid. "As for the humans, I would like to say that I too am not completely thrilled with their presence here. But feelings aside, they saved us from complete annihilation, and have played a pivotal role in defeating the assaulting forces."

General Winters fumed for a bit longer before simmering down a notch, from completely ticked off to slightly less ticked off. "Very well Commander, but I will have answers when this is over, even if that means you being court-martialed!"

The palpable tension in the room was shattered by a blaring siren, the emergency lights flashing anew as Foaly investigated the source. "Oh gods." He said flatly, his face contorted with shock.

**Unknown Location - Ten Minutes Earlier**

The large room was awash with crimson light, the ground shaking as the screens above depicted the now ruined daemon forces. A vituperative scream filled the air, echoing throughout the large expanse of the chamber as anger and hatred flowed freely.

Opal seethed spitefully as she watched her armies being destroyed, as Holly decimated her gunships with ease, taunting the pixie with her reckless skill and seeming invulnerability. The glowing veins on her visage pulsed sickly, burning red light pouring from her eyes as she shook with rage. Her hands gripped the edge of the black throne, crushing the stone with ease as she growled demonically.

"I have not come this far to have my plans toppled by those insolent fairies and a bunch of disgusting apes!" She snarled.

Artemis watched the pixie's transformation with reluctant awe, her anger eliciting fear from the boy, who noted particularly how her small hands made solid stone crumble like dust. _Now is not be the best time for witty remarks, that would most definitely result in a painful experience. Nonetheless, it is clear that Opal has not lost her villainous flaws. She's already lost control of her emotions on numerous accounts, and has shown to be platitudinous in her course of action. This is both a good and a bad thing. Good as she is thus predictable, bad due to the fact that such predictable behavior is extremely dangerous._

The genius kept thinking, his legs crossed as he sought to clear his mind to assume a meditative state. Even though they had beaten Opal's army, the war was far from over. If they were to ultimately succeed, then he needed to have a plan.

Whilst Artemis contemplated brilliantly, the nefarious pixie glowered at the monitors. "You think you've won? You honestly believe that this fight is over?! Pathetic weaklings! It will never be finished, it will keep coming at you until you are nothing but ash!"

Opal punched in a code on her communicator, screaming vehemently into the device. "All remaining units advance! All legions, all auxiliary reserves, send in everything! I want them dead!"

As she raged on her throne, her temper once again reaching a breaking point, an army of ridiculous proportions began its advance on the city, dwarfing the previous assault waves.

**Police Plaza – War Room – Present**

Everyone froze as the sirens blared, looking to Foaly who was taken aback by what he was reading on the consoles. _No, it can't be!_

Trouble, along with the others, came up behind the centaur, curious as to what was going on, but terrified by the possibilities. "What is it Foaly? Why are the alarms going off?" Commander Kelp demanded.

The centaur stared at the screen for a moment longer, making sure that he wasn't just seeing things. With a deep groan he realized that it was very real. "How about I just show you."

He brought up the alert to all of the monitors in the room. The screens showed the map of Haven, which was by all accounts liberated. What was very out of place was the gigantic red mass that was closing in on the city from the North.

Holly sighed in frustration. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I'm sorry to say that it is." Foaly said nervously. "The previous assault was only the beginning. Right now there is a force approaching the city, and it is three times the size of the one we just defeated."

Everyone in the room stood in shock, save the human commander. They had just sacrificed countless officers and fought to their near breaking point, and now all of that effort was only against a small portion of the total enemy threat. It was a crushing reality that had just been thrown on them, that even now, after everything, they had only made a scratch. The room's occupants stood there in silence, each thinking of the dreadful things that were to come, of the odds that now towered against them. Even the newly arrived General Winters showed signs of doubt and apprehension, something he never did.

Butler cleared his throat, breaking the reticence with his deep voice. "So, what's the plan?"

When nobody spoke, Commander Ivankov slowly walked over to the holo-table, his face resolute. "I believe this is where we come in." He said casually, observing the battle map in a calculative manner.

"And what is that?" Holly inquired, raising a eyebrow. She knew that right now their only option was to fight. But even with their new allies and reinforcements, there was no way they could defeat an army of that magnitude. She silently hoped that whatever it was that Ivankov was planning would work.

He brought up his communicator, speaking into it with a calm tone, "All units, pull back and form a defensive line across predesignated grid locations." Borislav looked at the map for a moment more, then turned back to the group. "General Winters, I would advise for you to order your men to do the same, otherwise we may have a problem."

To everyone's surprise the general complied, albeit grudgingly, obviously willing to see what the human was planning to do as he was at a loss.

The siren's continued to blare as the allied forces retreated to the Southern half of Haven, leaving the top section deserted. From the Northern blast gates came the ominous sound of tens of thousands of footfalls, the rumble of innumerable tanks, and the shrieking of countless gunships. With a flurry of activity they burst into the city, the ground forces spilling into the streets with deadly speed and purpose, and the gunships forming up in the skies, a literal wall of metal that filled the air.

"They've entered the city!" Foaly exclaimed, now fearful yet again. "They will reach our defensive line in exactly five minutes!"

Holly looked impatiently to the human commander. "Any time Ivankov, we've only got a literal bloodbath coming our way!"

"Patience is a virtue." The man said placidly, bringing up his communicator again. Everyone waited with tense anticipation as the human spoke. "Lieutenant, is the device ready?"

"We've just finished running the final systems check, it's fully operational sir. Waiting for the green light." A voice replied.

Commander Ivankov grinned slyly. "Activate it."


	8. Deus Ex Machina

**Haven City**

The ground shook violently as the army swept across the ruined city, the tremors causing the damaged buildings to further shed their crumbling stone, showering the streets below. It was as though the gates of Hell had opened, releasing hordes of darkness upon the earth, nefarious intent the only thing in their blackened minds. Nothing stood in their way as they charged towards the allied forces, completely focused on their goal with mindless assiduity. Armored feet pounded the earth relentlessly, reinforced tank treads crushed all that was before them mercilessly, and howling engines filled the air. What could stand firm against such an unstoppable force?

As the daemon army neared the string out defenders, hostile artillery fired their long range guns, tanks lit up their cannons ruthlessly and the countless gunships above unleashed a deluge of missiles. Yet the allied lines remained silent, implacable as the wall of destruction approached.

"_Activate it."_

All of the sudden, a massive wave of energy exploded from the ground along the allied line, rising into the sky as it spread across the city, putting itself between the defenders and the tsunami of death. As it connected with the ceiling and the far walls of the city, its form stabilized, forming a solid wall of blue energy which cut off one half of the metropolis from the other. Just as it did this, the barrage made contact. In a glorious explosion the munitions went off, stopped by the barrier before them, which shimmered slightly by the impact, but otherwise held firm.

The daemon forces stopped for a moment, considering their options, of which they really only had one: keep firing. The hostile legions began again, the air becoming a firestorm as tens of thousands of missiles and projectiles blasted through the sky, only to hit the barrier in a violent explosion. They kept firing, their relentless bombardment not easing for a second, the combined power of the assault making the blue energy barrier appear as a wall of fire.

**Haven City – Police Plaza – War Room**

The room was silent as everyone watched the displays, amazed as the energy shield absorbed the entirety of the enemy assault, which had seemed unstoppable until now. Commander Ivankov grinned with satisfaction as the barrier did its work, the enemy forces put to a total standstill as they furiously bombarded the wall with everything they had.

Trouble observed the video feed with a slight look of surprise, though not at all completely flabbergasted like most of the room's occupants. Holly was fairly caught off guard, and General Winters had dropped his cigar. Foaly was the most intrigued, obviously fascinated by the powerful shield wall that had just been activated. Butler, as usual, was impassive, though clearly impressed.

Commander Kelp tapped his fingers on his crossed arms, a slight frown crossing his face. "So, Commander, now that we've stalled them, I trust that there is a second phase to your plan?"

The human nodded, back to his serious demeanor once more. "Of course. The function of the barrier is to merely buy us some time. It is quite impossible for even our combined forces to defeat the army that is now banging at the gates, so we need to...compensate."

Butler spoke abruptly, his voice rumbling deeply. "Why not detonate the bio-bombs that are on that side of the city? Would the barrier contain the blast?"

Borislav shook his head. "This energy shield is made to halt the progress of physical projectiles and laser emissions. Though it can block any other force in the world, it cannot stop the magic catalyzed bio-energy that permeates from those bombs. If you set them off, the blast wave would simply pass right through."

The man turned to Foaly, who was still observing the barrier's readings with a calculative eye. "This is where you come in, Foaly."

The centaur jumped up from his seat, startled by the sudden mention of his name. He'd been way too immersed in the dissection of the barrier's energy matrix, his mental processes buried in the calculations of various advanced algorithms. He absentmindedly rubbed his head, bringing himself out of the world of intellectual acrobatics and into that of the living. "Umm, where's where what comes in?"

"Sorry, I must have interrupted something intimate within your cranium. I was saying that now that we have halted their advance, thus buying us some time, we need to prepare for when it falls. Our forces are incapable of combating this army, thus we need your particular...talents, to finish the fight."

"Well of course, how can anything be accomplished without moi." The centaur stated loftily, pointing to himself in an over glorified fashion. Great, his egotism was beginning to come through again.

The human commander raised a curious eyebrow before continuing. "I need you to bring Haven's defense grid back online. Even though the required systems within this building have been neutralized, I wager that you have an illegal backup somewhere."

Foaly grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "Yep, I've got a fully decked ops booth in my basement, by the clunky old furnace that I've been meaning to replace."

This time it was General Winter's turn to face palm, an incredulous look on his aged face. Everyone else, having already heard before, simply grinned. This was why they loved Foaly so much.

Ivankov clapped his hands together. "Excellent! Bring it up on the map." He laughed, clearly amused by the whole thing. "No doubt exercising your inviolability to do whatever you want, I bet you ask for a lot of raises too."

Trouble grimaced at the obviously true statement. _He has no idea how irritating that centaur can be. _

Holly noticed the look on Kelp's face and, stifling a laugh, turned her attention back to Ivankov, who was looking at the holo-table intently. After a second, a slight grimace formed on his face. "дерьмо." He muttered quietly.

"What is it?" Holly asked, walking up to the table. Upon seeing the marker where Foaly's home was, she too swore silently. To their combined dismay, the centaur's humble abode was located just on the other side of the barrier, so close that its carrot garden was cut in half.

"Well." Borislav said. "This may complicate things a bit."

"How so?" Commander Kelp asked, who was still oblivious to the fact as he too approached the table.

When he reached the map, he looked at for a long second before banging his fists on the table. "Oh common!" He yelled. "It was so close!"

"It's not a big deal, actually." Foaly said sheepishly. "We can just use the sewer network to gain access to the other side of the city unseen."

Ivankov slapped himself on the head. "Of course, how silly of me." He magnified the map to the sewage channel closest to the centaur's home. "My shield is blocking all underground routes as well. However, I have a device that can open up selective areas in order to allow access, so no issue there. It will temporarily cut away a portion of the barrier, however it will also compromise the integrity of the section that it is used on. If we used it above ground, it could potentially affect the whole wall. By using it on an isolated portion we reduce the risk of damage. I know that taking an above ground route through the barrier may be a faster alternative, but in doing so we also risk informing the entire enemy force of what we are doing, and that is something we cannot afford. We must do this as covertly as possible."

He turned back to Foaly once more. "How long will it take for you to bring the grid online once you gain access to your systems?"

"Hmm." The centaur thought for a second. "If everything is where it should be, exactly fifteen seconds."

The human nodded. "Good, because we've only got fifteen minutes to get over there before the barrier fails..."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Holly interrupted, clearly impatient with all of the talking. She wanted nothing more than to get out there and finish it.

"Point taken." Ivankov said. "The enemy forces are situated a comfortable distance from where we have to travel, so we don't need to worry about having to push our way in. It would be best if we used a small group to infiltrate their lines, I for one volunteer."

"As do I." Butler growled.

"Count me in." Holly stated excitedly.

"Good." Borislav said. "And of course you're coming Foaly. We'll watch your back. As for you, Commander, I trust you and the General will keep an eye on things from here in the meantime. I need someone to command my forces in the event that the barrier fails before we bring the defense grid online. I believe that you are more than capable of doing so."

Trouble, who was slightly irked from being told what to do, even though it was what he would have done anyway, nodded. "...Indeed. I'll have all forces prepare for such an event. We will keep them at bay if need be."

Commander Ivankov nodded to Trouble respectfully before turning to the others. "Then let's get started."

**Unknown Location**

Opal smashed her fist into the armrest with unbridled rage, breaking off an entire section of the black stone that formed it. The chair in which she sat had been reduced to a beat up doppelganger of what it had been, her continued vexation being taken out upon it.

The pixie snarled hatefully, vicarious thoughts of the killing and dismemberment of her foes filling her head. Oh how she wanted to see them suffer! Yet it was seemingly the opposite. Yet again they had thwarted her plans, this time with an almost impenetrable energy barrier.

She watched as her forces bombarded the shield, their weapons exploding futilely against the blue wall of energy, showering fire and debris into the air, but otherwise doing nothing. _These feeble, pathetic mortals are trying my patience. All I want is for them to die, not much to ask for really. And yet they stubbornly resist, giving their lives for something that they perceive as greater than they, as though they believe that there is hope. Hah! I will not give them the luxury of hope, I will grind it underneath the boots of my minions and then burn what's left of it!_

She continued to envision her next moves, planning for the destruction of all those who stood in her way. Artemis was oblivious, having long since put his complete trust in his friends to make it through. He knew that they'd make it. All he could do at that moment was think, which was what he did best, among other things of course.

Opal observed the barrier, reading energy outputs and levels coming from her forward scanners. The barrier wasn't as impervious as it seemed. Even now it was losing its strength, slowly being drained of its energy reserves. A grin formed on her face. _Excellent._

She spoke aloud this time, as though addressing her foes, even though they couldn't hear her. "A valiant effort, but to no avail. You are but deferring the inevitable. No matter what you do, death will come for you all."

**Haven – Residential District**

The muffled rumble of the bombardment echoed through the air, the barrier absorbing the sound to tolerable levels, but not able to dispel the horrid noise completely. The air above the residential district was filled with smoke, the still burning carcasses of the numerous homes casting fire into the sky as others smoldered lazily. Through the inky blackness flew an invisible object as it blasted through the air, the unseen force cutting through the smoke. As it neared the ground it materialized into the shape of a sleek black human gunship, its compact but deadly form landing softly on the charred earth. The streets were devoid of life, instead littered with random corpses, some of daemons, others of LEP officers or even civilians. Burnt out vehicles were cast about the area as well, their now useless forms accentuating the sheer destruction that filled the district, and the lonely feeling that all was dead and gone.

The craft's engines switched off, the ship falling into silence as well, becoming one with the scene around it. The side doors of the crew compartment slid open smoothly, out of it emerging two humans, an elf and a centaur.

Foaly observed the ruin around him with a look of pure dismay. "Dear gods." He exclaimed sadly as he looked at what was left. This used to be his neighborhood, the place where he lived with the love of his life, and planned to raise his children in. Now it was gone, the picturesque area now burned and defiled, bodies littering the streets on which families and friends walked not long ago. Flower gardens were trampled by boots and treads, parks dug up by mortar fire, the very homes of those he knew utterly engulfed in flames. How suddenly things had changed, how quickly everything had turned into a macabre image of that which once was. Foaly had been present throughout the entire crisis, shielded within the police plaza. Yet it was not until now, as he stood amongst the ashes, that it truly hit him, that he truly felt the dread and devastation for all that it was. Before him, behind the weakening barrier, was his home. No longer was it the place were he and his wife had lived together, no longer was it where his child was to be raised. Now it was but a dilapidated skeleton of a life that was gone, a jumble of bullet holed walls, of shell blasted ceilings, and blood stained floors. A single tear fell down the centaur's cheek as he stared at the morbid scene, a tear that fell to the burnt earth only to be evaporated by the still smoldering ground.

Holly stood beside him, being careful not to interrupt the centaur, but remaining close as to show that she cared. Behind them, Butler and Ivankov were opening the maintenance shaft into the sewage network below. Foaly stared for a brief second longer, his eyes lingering on what remained of Cabelline's garden, before turning away, a determined look on his face. There would be time for sadness later, right now he had a job to do, and he would be damned is he wasted a moment longer wallowing in pity as the clock ticked onward. They only had twelve minutes before the barrier fell, there was no room for distraction.

Foaly, with Holly in tow, made his way back to the maintenance shaft, which was now open with the two humans waiting by it with their weapons ready. Instead of a ladder, the shaft had an automated elevator, which alleviated the problems that would have arisen by having to climb down a ladder with his physiology.

Ivankov had his hand on the control panel, ready to lower the lift. "Let's go!"

The four of them, in what some would consider a clown act, managed to squeeze together onto the lift. Butler looked to each of them. "Everyone lock a load, we're going in." He held one of the human pulse weapons, which was comparable to a heavy machine gun except that it was a hundred times more deadly. Holly held the standard issue LEP pulse rifle, as well as two neutrino pistols on her sides. Borislav carried a modified human pulse assault carbine, as well as three sidearms; two high powered laser pistols, the other a custom made 50. caliber hand-cannon that he saved for special occasions. Even Foaly had a weapon, though he refused to carry anything too robust, simply opting for a standard neutrino.

After everyone checked their firearms, Ivankov flipped the switch, sending the maintenance lift into the darkness below. As they descended, the air became thick with moisture, a cold, dank feeling setting in around them. After about forty feet the lift came to a halt, leaving them in a blue tinted blackness, the only sounds being the terrible rumble of explosions and a distant dripping of an unknown substance, the long expanse of the system distorting the sounds further into ghostly wails and unnatural rhythms. Everyone quickly activated their gun-mounted lights, illuminating the vast tunnel with artificial light. The waste recycling system of Haven was a brilliant work of engineering, recycling every speck of the waste matter that went through it, and leaving no impact on any surrounding environment. However, despite its technologically advanced nature, it still smelt like excrement.

Holly wrinkled her nose at the scent, activating her helmet filters. "You really think that they could throw in an air freshener down here or something." She said as she observed their surroundings, searching for any possible threats, of which there were none. The tunnel was completely empty save them, its silence a testimony to that.

Before them, rising from the bottom to the top of the tunnel, was the energy barrier, its blue light glowing against the metallic walls. As they approached it, it became clear that it was under enormous stress, its surface flickering increasingly as the faint rumbles echoed down the tunnel. They had ten minutes.

"Alright, let's get this done." Stated Ivankov as he stood by the barrier. He reached into his pocket, removing a small device which he swiftly activated, pointing it to the energy wall before him. Without a sound, a small beam of energy shot from the device, connecting with the shield before expanding into a rectangular shape. The man then pressed a button, which sent a second wave into the barrier, causing for the small rectangular section to disappear, leaving a narrow pathway into the next part of the tunnel.

Without a word the four passed through the hole, one by one, the entry closing behind them once they were through. Their weapons were ready for whatever may come, but nothing did, the ever echoing sounds of the bombardment and the unseen dripping the only presence apart from theirs. All along each side were smaller tunnels, leading off into complete darkness, as well as grates below their feet at regular intervals. They eyed these things warily, not trusting for a moment the seeming vacancy of their shrouded confines.

Foaly looked at his data pad, then to the tunnel before them. "There should be another maintenance lift around the corner just fifty meters ahead. It will take us up to the front of my house."

Holly took the lead, eager to get out of the tunnel. Something about it made her uneasy, but she couldn't pinpoint what. As they traversed the tunnel, which was almost empty of sewage, the dripping got louder. It was as though they were not only approaching it, but that it was approaching them as well, the progressive rise in volume inconsistent with the speed at which they were going. Something wasn't right.

Coming up on the corner, everyone readied their weapons, half expecting for something to be waiting for them. Butler put up one of his hands, motioning with his fingers. _3...2...1... _

Together, Holly and the two humans burst around the corner, weapons raised, only to meet nothing but air. There was a inaudible sigh from everyone as they lowered their weapons, glad to have not run into a horde of death craving monsters.

Foaly walked quickly up to the lift's control interface. "This should only take a second..." He said as he pressed several keys, using his identification codes to override the safety locks. "All aboard." He stated jokingly, ready to initiate the elevator. As everyone stepped onto the metal lift, a distant crash of something heavy hitting the floor echoed in their direction, followed by another, and another. Soon the distant sounds of metallic clunking reverberated off of the smooth walls, bouncing around in a maddening noise, the direction of its source impossible to predict.

"I think we've got company!" Holly yelled above the rising sounds, clutching her rifle instinctively.

"Anytime Foaly!" Butler growled.

The centaur pressed the consoles frantically. "I'm trying! It seems as though the lift's mechanisms are fried!"

"Wonderful." Borislav stated. "We should head to the nearest operational lift before they..."

With a loud bang, the grates that lined the floors and the walls exploded open, black smoke pouring out of their shadowed expanses. As suddenly as they were opened, the shrouded forms of daemons jumped from them, landing without a thought amongst the detritus that covered the floor. From a distance, the sounds of countless footfalls echoed towards them, signaling that even more were advancing through the adjacent tunnels.

"Time to go!" Butler bellowed as he fired at the nearest hostiles, his rifle blazing as it poured hundreds of pulse rounds a second into the attackers.

"Back to the barrier, we'll just have to do this the hard way!" Ivankov yelled as they sprinted back towards the corner. Upon rounding it, they were surprised to find several hundred daemons waiting for them, their deadly forms climbing from every nook and cranny.

The group stopped abruptly, firing their weapons desperately into the surrounding enemies, trying to thin them out enough to break through. But they just kept coming, as though they were endless in number. As the daemons closed in, one of the closed seals on the wall next to them opened swiftly, a pungent smell escaping from the hole that it covered.

"Psst! In here!" A muffled voice called.

Being without any other options, the foursome quickly ran to the smaller tunnel, firing as they went. As bullets flew through the air, pinging off of the walls around them, they squeezed into the open shaft, ignoring the stench as they pressed themselves into its narrow space. As the last of them passed through the entrance, the mysterious figure closed the hatch, the muffled sound of bullets hitting it ringing through the constricted tunnel.

"This way!" It whispered, running down the shaft. Whoever it was, he was a fairy, but nobody had the time to shine a light on him, nor could the see his features through the cloth wrapped over his face.

They quickly followed the being, emerging from the smaller tunnel into a larger, rectangular room, littered with empty cans of food and random piles of belongings. It smelt horrid.

Holly walked up to the figure, aiming her weapon at its head. "Who are you?" She demanded, not in the mood for surprises.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" The fairy said, his voice rendered unrecognizable by the face mask. The individual quickly reached up to his face, pulling the cloth from it with thick, hairy hands. "How come every time I meet you it's at the wrong end of a blaster, after all I've done for you?" He stated comically, a large grin on his face, his massive teeth visible in the gloom. It was Mulch Diggums.

"Mulch?!" Everyone save Borislav exclaimed, utterly caught off guard by the dwarf's appearance.

"The one and only!" He said with a mock bow. "I really thought that I was finished saving your behinds ever since that little episode at Fowl manor two years ago. But, here we are!" He said, overemphasizing the last part, rubbing his hands together. "I'm glad actually, I was getting used to saving the day. Not to mention you guys are an endless source of get out of jail free cards." The dwarf laughed, enjoying the vexed look on Holly's face.

Borislav watched bemusedly. "This is an acquaintance of yours I presume." He stated, an eyebrow involuntarily raised in confusion.

"Unfortunately." Holly groaned as she took in her surroundings. All around them were piles of miscellaneous items, ranging from gold and jewelry to expensive furniture and paintings. "What is all of this?" She demanded, pointing a finger to a particular stack of priceless family heirlooms.

Mulch ignored the elf, instead speaking to the new human in the group. "So, new guy huh?" He asked jokingly. "You have no idea how lame these guys are, totally against the casual theft of priceless items. Can't even steal gold bars any more without getting Cappy here into a kerfuffle."

Holly cleared her throat. "Mulch! Care to explain all of this!"

The dwarf laughed awkwardly. "Oh yeah, this stuff is...borrowed from a cousin of mine! You know how those self storage places are, can't trust those shifty guys. So I keep it here, in his fine establishment." He motioned to the filthy room, his lie so bad that it made Butler cough.

"Uh huh." Holly said flatly. "So despite the full pardon we gave you after the incident, you decided to revert back to petty theft?"

"Yep!" He said gleefully, his cover story thrown into the wind, not even caring that the elf had caught him. "Though I simply did this to lay low, you know, until I go back to jacking human art collections and stuff. I have my eyes set on the Mona Lisa this time, should make excellent toilet paper, or I can sell it for all the food I can..."

The dwarf's run on sentence was cut off by Holly's boot colliding with his gut, sending him tumbling to the ground. The elf was furious. "You idiot!"

"Alright alright, take me in officer, I am but humble convict after all." Mulch pouted, trying his best to do the sad puppy look, though it only amounted to a sad looking bush with teeth.

"No time for that." She dismissed, as if the dwarf didn't matter any more. "We only have seven minutes to bring the defense grid online or we're all dead."

Butler crossed is arms. "But how do we get up there now? The route to Foaly's house is cut off, crawling with those things. Anyone got any ideas?"

An excited look came onto Mulch's face, the dwarf jumping up and down with his hand raised. "Oh! I do! I do!"

Holly nodded to Mulch. Though she was quite annoyed by the kleptomaniac dwarf, she knew that he had an act for getting them through difficult situations. She just hoped that he could get them out of this one.

Mulch grinned. "I can get you there." He said, walking up to another hatch. He flipped it open, revealing a wide dirt tunnel leading up into the darkness. "I actually have a tunnel right to your place donkey boy, though it needs some work before you can pass through. I was planning on leaving a few hundred swear toads in your basement, just for laughs!"

A look of utter horror crossed Foaly's face. Just the thought of someone breaching his man-cave gave him nightmares. The prospect of Mulch gaining access to his house almost made him faint. Holly couldn't help but chuckle a little, the look on the centaur's face was utterly priceless.

"So this tunnel..." Borislav began. "Is it structurally sound?"

Holly nodded to the man. "Trust me when I say this, Mulch has gotten us through more than one life and death dilemma with his...talents. His tunnels are perfectly safe, it's him you've got to worry about."

Butler nodded stiffly, his mind shuttering at the memory of being on the wrong end of the dwarf's rear, which ended up sending him flying into a wall. Despite all that he'd been through, that moment was etched in his mind forever. It had been a very unpleasant experience.

Ivankov nodded, both reassured by Holly and slightly dismayed by Butler's grimace. "Alright, then let's go immediately, we're running out of time."

"Just a moment." Mulch called out as he rummaged through a pile of trash. "Ah, here we go." He said joyfully as he pulled out a suspicious looking jar.

"What's that?" Holly asked, not one to trust filthy looking jars, especially when the kleptomaniac dwarf was involved.

Mulch grinned widely. "It's a special concoction of mine. We'll need it to melt through Foaly's wall."

The centaur, who had just recovered from Mulch's previous revelation, paled again. "Not the wall..." He whispered to himself, not at all happy with the impending desecration of his precious belongings. But, in the end, it was a necessary sacrifice.

Diggums eagerly jumped into the hole, unhinging his jaw as he widened the tunnel for the much larger individuals. Butler reluctantly followed the dwarf, then Holly, then Foaly. Borislav brought up the rear, eying the dark tunnels behind them as everyone else squeezed into the rather distasteful space.

As they crawling upward, Mulch resumed his babbling. "Just like old times huh guys?" He said, a mouthful of dirt muffling his voice.

Butler frowned. "That's exactly what I'm worried about."

"I see you're still sore about that time you met my gassy little friend here. I have to say that it's nothing compared to what I've been saving up lately."

The man mountain's frown doubled at the mention of that. There was not much in the world that brought discomfort to the bodyguard, but the impending doom that the kleptomaniac's rear threatened to unleash made him want to turn around and face the daemon hordes with a spoon.

"Just shut up and dig Mulch, none of us are too thrilled about being behind you, trust me." Holly said frustratedly.

Mulch made a mock sob. "That cut me deep cap."

After a few more seconds the dwarf came to sudden halt. Using his hands, Mulch brushed away a layer of dirt and clay, revealing a metallic surface. He tapped on it sharply. "And here it is." He announced, bringing out the jar of glowing liquid. With a grin, the dwarf cast the fluid onto the alloy wall, eliciting a sharp hissing as it made contact. For a moment it appeared as though Foaly's barrier would hold, but after a few seconds the entire section of reinforced alloy disintegrated, along with the three feet of high-density concrete that came afterward.

Mulch whistled. "Quite the wall you had there pony boy, too bad it isn't a match for a little bit of dwarf ingenuity." He paused when he thought he heard the centaur huff in frustration, enjoying the results of his purposeful jabs. "We can go through now. The acid loses its potency after being exposed to air for more than ten seconds."

Without a word, the group moved their way through the now melted security barrier, emerging into a moderately large room, though the lack of lighting hid its true depth. The air was murky with the faint touches of smoke and dust, the warfare above no doubt penetrating even into the lower level. Shadows clung to the edges of all that was within, not willing to release their cold grips which sought to shroud all with darkness. Numerous rows a miscellaneous materials lined half of the room, secure crates and boxes no doubt filled with whatever it was that Foaly did in his spare time. Small self sustaining lights glowed on the ceiling above, whilst others lined the walls periodically, gleaming faintly amidst the gloom. At the far end of the room was a simple staircase, a large blast door beside it. That was quite obviously Foaly's office.

Foaly trotted on ahead of the others, looking around obsessively at the many mechanical objects that were lying about, assuring himself quietly that all of it was where it should be.

Everyone else silently fanned out, keeping an eye on the stairway for any movement. Mulch took the time to pocket a few things as he came up behind the others, whistling innocently as he did.

Holly peered up the stairs, glad to see that the metal door at the top was still intact and locked shut. She checked her HUD. Three minutes left. She turned to Foaly, who had activated a data pad beside the blast door. "You better get on it Foaly, we've only got three minutes!"

A rumble shook the building, causing the lights to flicker sporadically. Another sounded, this time closer, followed by the muffled but unmistakable sound of hostile gunships.

Borislav eyed the stairway door warily. "Looks like they managed to pinpoint our location."

A loud bang blasted from above, a massive dent appearing in the door. The unknown force hit once more, further damaging the portal. On its third hit, a crack formed in the frame, black smoke and guttural growls creeping through.

Butler, with his rifle aimed at the door, growled over his shoulder to Foaly. "Get that door open!"

"Just a moment, there are fifty security checks I have to pass in order to open it." The centaur called out, now making a retinal scan.

There was a collective sigh, then another blast against the doorway, this time leaving a one foot gap between it and the adjacent wall. Through the hole they could make out nothing but smoke and flames, but they knew that there were plenty of daemons as well.

As the siege continued, another loud boom echoed from the tunnel from which they came, followed by the clear sound of distant footfalls.

"They've breached the tunnel as well!" Holly yelled. "We won't be able to hold them from this position for long."

"Well we'll have to unless pony boy here gets the door open." Mulch said, being sure to keep himself behind Butler.

Foaly ignored the dwarf, concentrating on completing a voice recognition test and a thumb scan.

The door above almost gave out, its battered form sagging dangerously now. Butler and Ivankov, who had both grown tired of waiting, proceeded to fire relentlessly through the gaps in the door, hoping to stall them further. Holly, upon seeing shadows flit around inside the dark tunnel at the other side of the room, began to shoot into the other entry way with her rifle, eliciting random shots from the daemons below.

Foaly, now undergoing a DNA check, called back. "This is the last one! Everyone get ready to move!"

As he finished the final check, the door above burst open, debris and burning material tumbling down the stairs as gunshots flew through. The tunnel was also full of activity, though Holly was keeping the enemy at bay with her pulse rifle, the daemons forced into a bottleneck that only allowed single file movement.

"And here we...go!" Foaly cheered as the door slid open. "Everyone get inside, though refrain from tracking any dirt in here if you can..."

The group poured into the next room, tracking in not just the dirt on their boots, but several dozen bullets and laser blasts as well. As they cleared the doorway, the large blast door slammed shut, silencing the roar of weapons fire instantly. There was almost complete noiselessness, though the very faint sound of heavy weapons being shot at the reinforced doorway was noticeable.

"Welcome to ops booth number two." The centaur exclaimed, feeling great pride in his work.

Unlike the previous area, the room in which they now stood was very well lit, obviously with its own power generator. The expanse was filled with a plethora of highly advanced equipment, so much so that it dwarfed the ops booth that was in the police plaza. At the far end was the main command console, a custom chair surrounded by multiple interfaces, keyboards, monitors, holo-pads, and just about everything else one would need to take over the world. In the far right corner was what looked like an archaic furnace, its time worn surface nearly falling apart. Foaly was right, it needed to be replaced.

Foaly quickly went to the control center, running his hand over the super-advanced technology with an almost romantic touch. "Don't worry my darlings, daddy's home." He said soothingly. Everyone else except Mulch simple acted like they didn't hear him, all too aware of the centaur's propensity to be overly appreciative of technology. The dwarf opened his mouth to make an annoying joke, but before he could properly enunciate his breath was knocked out of him by Holly, who had seen it coming. "He has a job to do, don't go and ruin his concentration." She whispered warningly.

The sound of countless supercomputers going online filled the room, the whirr of complex devices rising in volume as the systems activated. Foaly hummed rhythmically to himself as he brought up the command interface. Suddenly, an obnoxious voice spoke over the speaker system.

"_Hey, what's up old dude? I was getting lonely down here all on my lonesome!"_

To Foaly's dismay, it was the nav-bot that he had in his vehicle. He could have sworn he had deactivated the personality chip months ago, and he had never even brought it close to his mainframe. How had it managed to penetrate his security measures?!

"What are you doing on my systems!?" The surprised centaur exclaimed.

"_Hey calm down buddy, it's not my fault that you gave me an artificial brain. I simply walked in the back door is all, that boring monotone AI you had here previously was totally a downer on your gloriously illegal ops booth, no character whatsoever!"_

Foaly bit his lip. "Alright whatever, just do as I say. I need to bring Haven's defense grid back online now!"

The AI whistled. _"Does it have something to do with the unpleasant looking fellows who are currently banging on our door with high explosives? I advise that you at least try to make friends next time you meet nefarious looking creatures that try to kill you, your introverted mentality is only holding you back from potentially fulfilling relationships!"_

The annoyed centaur twitched slightly, his patience wearing thin. "Just shut it and bring up the defense network command line!"

"_Alright, alright. Just trying to give you some friendly advice bro." _The AI stated as data began to fill the numerous monitors. Foaly blew off the irritating nav-bot's jabbering, instead focusing on the readings that were now covering the screens.

"_Haven's defense grid is currently at sixty-three percent operational capability, a lot of the security measures have been destroyed by the party going on above ground, quite a mess I have to say."_ The AI stated enthusiastically.

"Doesn't matter." Foaly replied. "My system is designed to be more than adequate at only ten percent."

Holly called out from the entrance of the bunker. "Ten seconds!"

Foaly's face took on a serious look, his teeth clenched as he typed away. _Time to show these monsters the true meaning of firepower._

_Nine..._

"Running system check..."

_Eight..._

"Running preliminary scans..."

_Seven..._

"Activating network control lines..."

_Six..._

"Engaging AI protocols..."

_Five..._

"Programming assault patterns and IF tags..."

_Four..._

"Defense grid fully operational in three...two...one..." The centaur begot a slight grin. "Zero".

**Haven - Police Plaza – One Minute Earlier**

"One minute!" Commander Trouble Kelp yelled, his voice rising above the endless cacophony of explosions that lit up the sky. The LEP commander stood at a forward command post that had been set up only minutes before, overlooking the vast expanse of Haven and the armies that stretched across it. The sky was filled with LEP and human aircraft as they hovered over the ground forces below, prepared to open fire at a moment's notice. The ships had been rearmed and were now bristling with missiles and miniature bio-bombs, their cannons warmed up and ready to unleash hell. On the ground, the combined army waited silently as the barrier flickered dangerously. Hundreds of armored vehicles, both from the Atlantis reinforcements and the human allies, were spread out into strategic formations, the vast crowds of infantry taking up positions all around the region, forming a massive defensive front. As the ear splitting melody of the bombardment went on, Kelp looked to the units under his command. All was ready, everyone was where they should be. All that they could do now was wait as the impending battle approached.

Trouble had left General Winters in control of the plaza, himself opting to lead their forces in person, not safely behind reinforced walls. This fight would either be one of total victory or utter defeat. Regardless of the outcome, Kelp wanted to be there for it to the very end, as a commander and a soldier.

The elf checked the timer. _Thirty seconds remaining. _He brought up his communicator. "All units be advised, the barrier falls in twenty seconds. Prepare all heavy munitions for suppressive fire. Our objective is to hold them back with minimal casualties until the defense grid is back online. Good luck to us all."

Commander Kelp stood calmly as he awaited the collapse of the only thing between them and the horrid hordes of twisted monsters. As he patiently watched to fire that plastered the sky, he turned his mind to the soldiers around him.

_Five_

Never before, not in thousands of years, had the armies of human and fairy kind stood side by side against a common foe. Sure there was Artemis, but it was never something of this magnitude.

_Four_

Maybe, if they made it through the day, there could be true friendship between these two species, starting with the ones that stood by them now.

_Three_

In the end it never matters whether one is a human or a fairy, in life and death they are all the same. Individuals with hopes and dreams, with families and friends, with joys and love.

_Two_

Trouble smiled. He saw the impossible before him now. The improbability of their kinds standing alongside one another, as brothers in arms. It was an incredulous sight, and yet there it was. It brought a sliver of regret to think that now, at the moment of realization, they may all perish, the new alliance moot amidst the apocalypse. But it mattered not. Today, they would rise or fall together, as equals.

_One_

The barrier shook violently as the fires started to cut it apart, holes appearing throughout its enormous surface area. The noise of the bombardment rose suddenly as the wall broke, the sound now unimpeded as it blasted through the air. As the barrier began to shrink, Trouble shouted his command into the com link. "All units, fire at will!"

Before he even finished the command the countless guns opened up, a solid wave of destruction. Artillery guns fired from a distance back, their loud thumps echoing through the air. Tanks and infantry went all out, their weapons unloading a swarm of fire into the enemy force. Above, the hovering forms of the many ships lit up as they unleashed their arsenals, sending thousands of missiles and hundreds of small bio-bombs into the enemy lines. The air blew violently as the combined forces began their merciless barrage, the first volley alone completely obliterating the forefront of the daemon army. Massive clouds of fire and smoke rose from the enemy positions, shock waves racing across the city with deadly speed.

As the allied forces continued their assault, Trouble tapped his fingers impatiently. _Come on Foaly, where are you?_

**Haven – Foaly's Basement**

Foaly pressed a button, a look of fierce anticipation on his face. From below his desk an intricate device rose on a platform. It looked like a video game controller, except it had several hundred buttons on it.

"_Oh that looks fun dude! Care to give me a try?" _The AI asked excitedly.

"Wait your turn, I've got work to do." Foaly stated commandingly as he grabbed the controller.

_Get a load of this! _He thought as he pressed the largest red button on it.

**Haven City – Everywhere**

As soon as Foaly pressed the button, the whole situation turned inside out. As the battle raged on, hundreds, if not thousands of rapid fire DNA cannons appeared, released from their concealed positions by Foaly's command. Even more smaller guns popped out of every surface, their AI's moving them around like insects as they converged on the daemon army, tiny legs taking the deadly blasters to where they had business to carry out. In the sky, numerous hatches opened on the roof high above the city, from them pouring clouds of drones. The automated fighters, though small in comparison to those that the daemons used, were covered with weapons, and numbered in the thousands. As the literal cloud of ships and ground based drones charged towards the daemon forces, the enemy turned their attention to them, massive divisions breaking off as they sought to engage the new threat. Too bad they didn't understand the true scope of Foaly's paranoia.

Whilst the daemon forces, now split in all directions, moved in on the drones, small holes appeared in the ground throughout their ranks. As they ran heedlessly over these fist sized openings, small spheres began to pour out of them, dispersing themselves amongst the enemy lines. In a spectacular explosion, thousands of the miniature devices activated, sending powerful concussive waves through the enemy divisions, blasting them into the air. Others subsequently went off, their tiny forms expanding into large bio-bomb explosions. Tens of thousands of enemy units were wiped out in mere seconds.

By now the drones had closed in on the daemon army, flying headlong into the clouds of hostile gunships, which were charging at them with deadly intent. In a firestorm of destruction, the two forces collided. Drones unloaded countless numbers of small rockets into the ships, firing their multiple laser cannons precisely as they weaved in between the larger enemy fighters. The daemons fired back with everything they had, obliterating hundreds of drones with their cannons and missiles, cutting entire squadrons of them apart with relentless fire. But the drones were too many to shoot down. Every time a daemon pilot took out a drone, a dozen more would appear on its six, and proceed to tear it apart. The air was in complete chaos as the drones and gunships engaged each other, a dogfight of monumental proportions engulfing the entire city.

Cannon fire erupted from the ground as the drones flew overhead, the daemon tanks and artillery seeking to blow them out of the sky, and succeeded in doing so for only a few seconds. As they fired into the fighter formations above, the DNA cannons and surface drones appeared from all directions. In a ball of fire and steel, the two ground forces collided with pure power, both sides taking heavy casualties as an all out war took place.

As the battle raged all over the city, the LEP and human forces continued to blast the now divided hostile army, completely destroying any sort of offensive that the daemons had planned. It was perfect switch, the allied army now advancing, the daemons on the defensive.

Commander Trouble Kelp watched with perfect satisfaction as the tables were turned over completely, the odds now fully in their favor. _Well done Foaly...I might just give you that raise after all. _As he took in the beautiful destruction that was filling the city, the elf spoke into his communicator, utter confidence in his voice.

"This is Commander Kelp to all units. Let's push these freaks from our city!"

He then picked up his rifle and charged towards the fighting. He didn't want to miss out on all of the fun.

**Haven – Foaly's Basement**

Foaly cheered gleefully a he rapidly pressed the numerous buttons on the controller, destroying the invaders with ease as he manipulated the controls. It was most certainly like a video game, except it was real, and instead of controlling a singular object, the centaur was commanding thousands.

The other occupants of the room had ceased any conversation that they were making, instead completely absorbed by the video feeds that played throughout the room, amazed by the sheer power that had just been unleashed.

The AI spoke loudly. _"Oh man, you are totally wrecking them dude. Oh! Get that guy there! Awwww yeah! Boom goes the dynamite!"_

Foaly didn't mind the AI's constant commentary, he actually enjoyed its accentuation of the havoc that he was creating for the invading legions. With every button he pressed, hundreds of drones responded, utterly extirpating entire hostile formations. He turned his attention away from the bulk of his units, making them free to engage at will. As his drones dismantled the enemy resistance, the centaur observed the battlefield, noting the status of the LEP and allied forces. Thus far they were doing extremely well, the pressure taken off of them by the plethora of automated units he was throwing at the daemons. At this rate they would retake the city in no time.

"_You going to give me a try donkey boy?" _The AI whined.

Foaly, despite his displeasure for the nav-bot's use of his most disliked nickname, took his hands off of the controls. "By all means, though I bet you can't top my score."

"_Ha! Challenge accepted!" _The nav-bot yelled. The AI assumed control of several squadrons of drones and proceeded to annihilate the enemy, yelling long strings of obscenities and laughing wildly as it did.

Foaly set the defense system to pest control mode before stepping away from the command console, a wide grin on his face. "So, you think Trouble will give me that raise?" He said with a great degree of self assurance.

Holly punched him jokingly in the arm. "He'd be hard pressed not to, though I think he owes you more than just a raise."

The centaur nodded contemplatively. "Indeed, I should prepare a list..."

A loud bang erupted from the blast door, its massive frame shaking. Sirens went off, warning of an imminent breach.

Foaly paled in spite of himself. "How is this possible! I made this door to specifically block unwanted guests!"

Mulch walked up to the door. "Yeah genius, but did you include unwanted guests with rocket launchers? They've been blasting away at this door for quite a while now..." The dwarf put his face close to the metal portal, letting his beard touch it fully. He waited as his sensory hairs gathered information on the structural integrity of the doorway, able to read every minute detail about it with his skilled intuition. As another bang sounded he pulled away from the door. "Oh yeah." He stated, looking at the others. "It's coming down."

Foaly took out his neutrino. "We can't let them damage anything in here! If they so much as blast one thing it could throw the defense grid into disarray!"

"Don't worry about it." Borislav said calmly, checking the feed path of his hand cannon. "I've got this."

"Shall we cover you." Butler asked politely, checking his rifle casually.

The human commander shrugged. "If you should so desire my friend."

The doorway shook once more as a large projectile rammed it, the explosion thudding loudly into the barrier.

Ivankov assessed the entryway. "If we wait for it to fall, the force of the explosion may damage the instruments within this room. I advise you open it right after the next rocket hits."

Holly looked at him questioningly. "Are you sure about this?"

"Very." He said. "They have only one launcher, and it takes them an average of ten seconds to reload it after each shot. Given the situation above ground, there will be a limited number of hostiles within the room itself and virtually no reinforcements. Also, due to the fact that they are using HE munitions, they are situated on the far end of the room, thus making things much simpler. Trust me, I've had worse situations than this."

He finished checking his handgun, putting the magazine in with a click. "Besides." He said as he racked the slide. "I've been itching to use this for quite a while now." The massive handgun was jet black, a crimson dragon stenciled in along the length of the barrel, its fanged mouth facing the business end of the firearm.

"Alright." Foaly said hesitantly, not fully assured by the man. Regardless, he hardly had a better plan. All of his drones were too busy assaulting the main body of the daemon forces to come over and assist them. Even if he had a few aircraft to spare, he could hardly have them strike, as it would very well destroy everything.

The centaur trotted up to the command console again, his finger hovering over a button. "Ready when you are."

As Ivankov stood before the doorway, his helmet now put on, the others took up position on the sides, weapons ready. Mulch was also armed this time, having long since taken an old neutrino from his beard. There was a muffled explosion, then the sound of an RPG rocketing towards the doorway. With a crash it collided with the metal barrier, causing it to shake precariously.

"Now!" Borislav yelled, his hand-cannon ready.

The door slid open just a crack, allowing the man to pass through. Ivankov jumped through into the smoke filled air of the next room, his weapon held at the ready. As the smoke cleared slightly, he caught sight of the daemons on the others side, who were unable to see him through the blast emissions. One of them was holding an RPG-7, loading another projectile into the launcher. The human waited as the daemon pointed the weapon directly at him, a fierce look of concentration on his face.

"Watch this." He said to those behind him.

The daemon pulled the trigger, causing the rocket to blast forward from the launcher with blinding speed. But before it could even move two feet from the daemon position, Borislav aimed and fired his gun, sending one .50 caliber bullet right through the center of the rocket propelled grenade. With a bang the rocket exploded, sending shrapnel flying into the daemons as they ran for cover. In the now smoke filled darkness, the human strolled towards the remaining hostiles, who fired blindly into the gloom. With an ear splitting bang his weapon roared, flames breathing from the barrel as he blew the daemons across the room, and all over the walls.

As the smoke cleared, several more jumped in from the tunnel entrance, brandishing their weapons at the human. Ivankov quickly vaulted over a pile of machinery, dodging the wall of bullets as he fired in midair, hitting three of the daemons. With his weapon now empty, he rounded the corner, unloading the gun into the daemon that waited, sending the heavy empty magazine right into its face, knocking it back. With an almost bored look on his face the man smashed the creature's skull with the reinforced grip of his gun.

The last two monsters, who both had automatic shotguns, fired relentlessly at the human, who moved behind a large stack of equipment. As the daemons kept firing, the human reloaded, waiting for the perfect moment. He knew the exact make and model of their weapons, as well as how many shots they had. At the very second that they ran out of ammo, which of course he knew exactly, Borislav jumped over his position, blasting the weapons out of the enemy's hands. Before they could draw their sidearms, the human roundhouse-kicked one of them into the wall, following up by choke-slamming the second into the floor, killing it instantly.

He then turned his attention to the darkened cave entrance, hearing the sounds of more daemons as they climbed up the shaft. He quickly grabbed the grenades from one of the fallen hostiles, pulling the pins smoothly as he tossed them down the hole. A loud boom resounded from the tunnel, fire exploding from it as the grenades pulverized everything in it.

"I think that's all of them." Commander Ivankov stated, surveying the fruits of his labor which littered the floor. Indeed, they were all very, very dead.

The others emerged from the ops booth, their weapons held casually as they observed the destruction that surrounded them. Butler strolled up to the man. "Impressive." He rumbled approvingly.

Holly surveyed the carnage that was strewn about the room, stepping carefully over the pulverized daemons that littered the floor. "Quite a show you put on there, though you've yet to beat a troll in hand to hand combat." She said, nodding to Butler.

Ivankov nodded. "Well, I'll put that on my to do list once this is all over."

The sound of aircraft engines reverberated from the stairway, signaling the arrival of potentially more daemons. Holly called back to the ops booth. "Foaly! We've got company!"

The centaur called back. "Wait! Those are friendlies, I'm getting commander Kelp's signal from the gunship."

Holly nodded, relieved that there were no more hostiles inbound. Though she was a world class soldier, she was getting tired, along with everyone else in the room.

"I'm going up." She said, slinging her rifle over her shoulder.

Everyone else moved to leave as well, eager to get out of the destroyed basement. Foaly called out from the ops booth again. "You guys go on ahead, I'm staying here. There's plenty of work left to be done."

As they emerged from the lower level, they noticed that there was no upper level. The entire house had been completely flattened, only a single door standing. Around them, the fires that had engulfed the neighborhood had burned themselves out, now leaving smoldering ruins. As the distant sounds of warfare continued to echo across the city, a dozen human and LEP gunships hovered around the area, no doubt guarding the now crucial remains of Foaly's home.

One of the fairy gunships landed beside the building, along with two allied ones as well. The door of the LEP craft opened, from it coming Commander Kelp, who looked very upbeat. Dozens of soldiers came from the ships as well, forming a defensive perimeter around the new ops booth.

"Commander." Holly greeted as the elf neared them.

"Excellent work." He said approvingly, looking to the group. "You all did an excellent job in bringing the grid back online. Without it we'd probably be overrun by now."

Holly nodded. "Foaly really outdid himself this time."

Trouble smiled uncharacteristically. "He sure did. Now I'm fully obligated to give him a considerable raise."

"Yes indeed." Holly grinned.

Borislav walked up to the commander. "So, what's the situation?" He asked.

Trouble looked to the skyline, watching the drones as they further cut down the daemon gunships. "We're winning by a landslide. Since Foaly sent in his drones, the enemy army had been reduced by eighty percent. We're focusing on cleaning up the rest right now. Despite the scale of the fighting, the drones took the brunt of the enemy assault, leaving very few casualties amongst either of our units."

"Excellent." Ivankov smiled. "We should start focusing on our next move."

Butler nodded agreement, eager to find the one responsible for the conflict and dispose of the individual.

"One thing at a time." Trouble assured. "We'll get on that soon enough. For now, let's get back to the police plaza. We'll leave a sizable force here to guard Foaly and his assets, so there's no need to worry about leaving him here."

Everyone concurred, making their way to the landed LEP shuttle. As they entered the craft, the sounds of battle were slowly beginning to wind down, the city now close to being under their complete control. With a gust of wind the ship took off, rocketing towards the downtown district with two fighter escorts. As the sound of the ships faded, a gentle breeze blew through the air, softly swaying the form of a single flower as it stood firm in Foaly's destroyed garden, untouched by the ruin around it.

**Unknown Location**

The room shook angrily, the air thick with some unseen evil, pure crimson glowing off of every surface, tendrils of the living light snaking through the air randomly. A loud bang echoed throughout the chamber, accompanied by the distinct form of the black throne flying trough the air at blinding speed. With a crash, the seat rammed the solid bedrock walls, exploding into a million tiny fragments. Opal stood atop the elevated platform, seething with rage. Her fists were clenched threateningly, pieces of stone falling from them. She'd just punched her beloved throne into the wall, but she hardly cared, mere eccentric objects meant nothing compared to the accomplishment of her goals, which were currently crumbling before her.

"No! No! No!" She yelled. "What is happening!?" She glared at the monitors as they depicted Foaly's drones, which were tearing her forces apart. The pixie swore profusely. "Foaly, you impudent, inferior pile of flesh! I destroyed your defense grid, blew it up with one hundred pounds of Semtex!"

She put a hand to her face as she suddenly realized something. "Of course..." She said flatly. "Given your egregious paranoia I should have known you would make a spare, how...predictable..."

All of the sudden, the nefarious pixie lashed out, waving her hands violently at the giant monitors. She roared a devilish roar as black tendrils of pure dark magic shot out of her, forming enormous strands. The magic tore into the screens, destroying them in a hundred ways at once. They melted, burned, froze, exploded, imploded, shattered, and vanished, all at once, the dark forces obliterating them with ease, leaving nothing but great burn marks on the walls behind them. Opal seethed, her sudden outburst easing some of her anger, though clearly only a fraction.

Artemis froze with fear, utterly frightened by the sudden show of unbridled rage and destruction. _How powerful is she? _The boy wondered as the pixie stood motionless, contemplating something carefully. _Clearly her magic is much more potent than it was last time. _He concluded, his eyes drifting to the now empty walls, the vast collection of monitors torn mercilessly from existence.

"This is all...but a minor inconvenience...a slight deviation from the planned series of events." Opal told herself, her anger gone, replaced by a maddening calm that seemed all but impossible. She turned to Artemis, a hateful grin on her face. "It seems as though your friends have postponed their demise, but I assure you it is far from over. And as for you, your suffering has only just begun." She motioned to two massive daemons who were at the bottom of the stairs. "Take this pathetic mortal out of my sight! Give him the _best_ accommodations, I don't want him to get too _uncomfortable._"

The way in which she said it made Artemis' skin crawl, all to clear that she meant the opposite. Two massive hands grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him violently into a standing position. The daemons undid his chains, but it was obvious that it didn't matter, escape was impossible. As they jerked the human around, forcing him down the stairs a gunpoint, Opal watched venomously. She desperately wanted to kill the boy, her urge to spill his blood was almost unbearable. But she held her self back. She knew that death now would only do Artemis a favor, and she never did favors.

**Haven – Police Plaza – War Room**

The low buzz of conversation bounced about, the sound of technical equipment and rushing individuals accompanying it. A crowd of high ranking officers from both sides filled the room, all of them focused on the individuals at the center, who were poring over a collection of data pads and maps, which were situated on the holo-table. There was a tense feeling in the air, one that entailed thought and prediction, an endemic need to unravel mysteries.

The two commanders stood on opposite sides of the table, flanked by Holly, Butler and even Mulch, who had made quite a fuss so that he could tag along. Foaly was present on a nearby monitor, still back within his basement, running the ops booth with pure dedication. As the numerous officers went about their own affairs, the five of them observed anything and everything that could give them clues as to what to do next.

"So we already know that the most likely, though not confirmed, instigator of this conflict is a certain pixie genius named Opal Koboi, who would thus have managed to defy death itself to exact revenge..." Commander Ivankov surmised curiously, he himself being a bit skeptical about the odds that such a thing could be accomplished. "We also know the general direction that the hostile army came from, however we have yet to find anything that points us to a clear location..."

Trouble Kelp nodded. "There are a lot of unknown variables, but even with as little intel as we have now, we must move forward. I have no doubt that whoever is behind this is currently planning their next move, thus we should make ours before they can."

Everyone spoke in agreement, none of them wanting to stand around whilst such a foe went unchecked, with Artemis in their possession no less.

Foaly spoke up over his video feed. "I've run numerous scans on the surrounding area, but for some reason I still can't breach the interference that is all around Haven. There must be an extremely powerful jamming signal coming from somewhere. In summary, we're blind to everything outside the city."

Butler, who had an immensely determined look in his eyes, observed the readouts on the daemon armaments, of which many of them were human. "I'll give some contacts of mine a call. A few of my prominent connections in the arms dealing business owe me a favor, they know almost every shipment of human weapons that takes place, so I think they may have some clues. I'll see what I can dig up from them."

Trouble acknowledged Butler's welcome assistance. "Good, hopefully there's some sort of trail we can follow."

Holly watched as the three exchanged their thoughts, her patience almost gone. Artemis was in who knows what sort of hell, and she was just standing around, digesting conversation. She was worried for the boy, more worried than she'd ever been for him. If Opal was truly the one at work, Holly couldn't imagine what the evil pixie would do to Artemis, especially if she saw no further use for him. Chilling prospects rushed into her mind, but she quickly suppressed them, willing to herself the assurance that the genius was still alive and well. But even then, doubt trickled into her resolve.

Borislav looked around the table, a long silence now taking hold as nobody put forth plans or suggestion. "So, anyone else have any ideas?"

The man caught Mulch's attention, who had been pickpocketing a few wealthy looking LEP officers including General Winters, who he'd stolen a wallet from as well as a solid gold watch. The dwarf, in a childish display, raised his hand, waving it around excitedly. "Oh pick me! Me! Me! Me!" He shouted, disturbing the professional atmosphere quite effectively.

Ivankov waved his hand to the dwarf. "Go on."

Mulch smiled his tombstone teethed grin. "I have more than just a clue. I can lead you to where they came from...for the right price."

**Unknown Location**

Opal walked through the halls of her facility with a sense of purpose, power and confidence radiating from the malicious pixie as she strolled past numerous daemon soldiers as they went about their pre-programmed duties, following Opal's commands to the letter.

"With my main army annihilated those pesky fools are no doubt planning their next move. Though the probability that they will find this place and survive is below one percent, I cannot afford to underestimate them. I did so in the past, and that got me killed."

As she walked, the tunnel opened up into a see through walkway, the reinforced windows allowing the red tinge of fires and molten steel as well crimson magic pour into the hall, illuminating Koboi's already horrid features with a bloody hue. She turned her attention to the activity below, the massive chamber filled with movement.

"I'll just have to accelerate my plans. Now that I know the final piece to the puzzle, all I need to do is locate it,"

The room below her, which was miles in length and width, was crammed with machinery. Gigantic industrial systems processed lakes of molten ore, forming them into parts for weapons and vehicles with precise efficiency. Massive assembly lines pieced together a steady flow of gunships and tanks, whilst huge cloning chambers grew and released fresh daemons, their artificial souls bringing the otherwise dead bodies to life. It was an impressive show of pure mass production. Opal wasn't one to usually allow for quantity over quality, so she made sure to do both with equal measure. She knew that her machines were simple compared to those that she could contrive given time and patience, but that was something she didn't have. So she opted to create assets that could be produced on a colossal scale, whilst at the same time offering rugged reliability and deadly simplicity.

"As they look about futilely, I will produce another army, one that will dwarf the last! But that will take time, and my primary goal now is the acquisition of the final ingredient to complete my ultimate plan."

She walked over to a balcony, her eyes looking over the large frames that were being formed into even larger ships, ones that made her standard gunships look small.

"If only I had these when I assaulted Haven, it would have made things so much easier..." She stated with a hint of anger. "But it matters not. They will come in handy in due time."

She switched her attention from the armored hulks that were under construction to a truly mountainous construct in the distance, its huge form taking up a large portion of the chamber. Opal grinned gleefully, her eyes filled with evil intentions. "Ah yes. That will do nicely."

**Unknown Location**

Artemis wheezed weakly as he was dragged through the oppressing halls of the facility, the face-like cracks on the walls laughing at him as he passed by, too weak to walk on his own. He'd been deprived of sustenance since he'd been captured, his strength ebbing away from him as his body screamed for nourishment.

The two daemons pulled him along the dark tunnel, the only light coming from a few lamps every dozen or so paces. The air was filled with the smell of rotting flesh, the stench pouring from the cracks in the endless cell doors that lined the hall, no doubt the aroma of their unfortunate occupants. After what seemed like an eternity, the trio halted, one of the daemons pulling open a heavy iron door, a sharp metal shriek sounding from its rusted mechanism, like a monster that awaited him in the dark confines of the cell. Without a care in world, the two captors tossed the boy into the small room, sending him crashing onto the cold stone floor. As Artemis laid there willing himself to get up, the door slammed shut, leaving him in total darkness. He pulled himself to his knees, feeling what he assumed were bones on the floor, their dried out forms crunching underneath his weight.

With a great deal of effort, Artemis managed to put his aching body into a seated position, crossing his legs stiffly as he tried to take in anything he could about his surroundings. He couldn't see a thing, the darkness an impossible barrier to his vision. The air was clammy and stale, the faint smell of decomposing bodies wafting through it. He moved his hands around, feeling for anything notable. All he found was solid stone, its hard, damp surface chilling to the touch. He moved to put his hands back on his lap when they bumped into a spherical object. Upon a bit of feeling, the boy pulled his hand back sharply. He had been touching a skull.

Warm, smelly air blew under the door, howling an eerie cry as it passed through the unseen cracks. It was as if the souls of the dead were calling out to him, their spiritual forms filling the room in which so many had likely died. It was as if they were greeting him, welcoming him to hell.

As he sat there, his body cold and deprived, his mind worked tirelessly. He still had hope in his friends. He knew they would come for him. He wanted to be sure that he was ready for that moment, prepared to offer his intellect as a tool to solve the crisis. The last thing Artemis wanted to be was useless, so he put his head to work.

His thought was shattered as a ghostly voice called out from within the room. It sounded as though the speaker was right beside his ear, its unseen form mere inches away.

"_Artemis?"_


	9. The Hunt Begins

**Unknown Location**

"_Artemis?"_

Artemis froze at the sound of the voice, the source seeming to be right beside his head. But he was alone, wasn't he? The room was only four feet wide and five feet deep, there was no way someone could have been crammed in there without him knowing.

"_Artemis!" _The distorted voice called again, this time more forceful than the last.

"Who are you?" The boy demanded weakly, his strength ever seeping from his body. "How are you in here?"

The mysterious being replied with a rather disappointed tone. _"I'm not with you, Artemis. I'm in your head."_

_Oh great. _Artemis thought to himself. _Am I going insane? _He frowned, utterly displeased at the prospect of losing his precious sanity. "That still doesn't answer my first question."

"_Why it's me Artemis, Quan! And no you're not going insane." _The voice stated.

Artemis' eyes shot open, his previous stupor now gone completely. "Quan? I was under the impression that you were in a catatonic state somewhere else within this facility."

"_Indeed I still am."_ The warlock said sadly. _"N°1 and I have been here for quite a while, acting as batteries for that foolish pixie. Her magic and machinery make us almost powerless against it. She has virtually punched a hole in the earth's magical system, causing for a continuous flow of magic from which she can generate enormous amounts of power. We are the catalyst, the channel through which she diverts the earth's magic into her generators, it's truly an incredible current of pure arcane energy. Even now I am expending enormous amounts of strength just to talk to you."_

Artemis raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And how are you doing that? Is N°1 there as well?"

Quan chuckled a little, the distorted voice echoing within the boy's mind. _"That young imp still has much to learn. He's not capable of communicating, the combined stress would very well cause permanent damage. I on the other hand can do so safely. It's a simple process of using arcane magic to temporarily remove the consciousness from the physical form, stretching it out into the metaphysical world around it. Think of it as walking out your front door with a rope attached to your waist, you can walk freely in the world beyond, interact with others, but you are still bound to the place from which you came. With it I can insert my own self into the minds of others, creating a magic catalyzed link between myself and the other, though at times it may be difficult depending on the fortification of that individual's own consciousness. I have to say, I've been trying to break through into yours since you arrived here, you've got an extraordinary amount of willpower for a human. Anyway, under normal circumstances I would be able to travel vast distances in this form, but given the situation I can barely reach where you are now."_

Artemis nodded to himself, the old warlock's explanation making perfect sense to him. "Don't worry, I am certain that our friends will be here within a relatively short span of time. When they do we'll get you out of there."

Quan spoke to him in a hushed tone, as though he was being listened to. _"Don't you make the mistake of underestimating Opal for a second! Through the ancient spell that she used on us, she has gained unprecedented levels of magical power, and will attain many times more if she accomplishes her plan."_

Artemis' interest skyrocketed at that. What plan? Opal hadn't disclosed her entire scheme to him after all, only a mere fraction to entice a response from him. It was a cutting blow for Artemis, he was certain that the pixie had divulged all the details. He was wrong. "What is it Quan? What's she planning next!" The boy demanded, eager to fill in the blanks that had now formed in his knowledge of Koboi's strategy. He had thought her to be the same villain he'd faced before, prone to the same mistakes, and yet she had been toying with him. The assault on Haven was just a fraction of her intent, no doubt to ease her true efforts.

There was a momentary pause, as though the warlock had put him on hold. When he responded his voice was hurried and nervous. _"I can't go into that right now, it will take too long to explain and I don't have that time. She's going to sense what I'm doing if I keep this up, and if she does I fear for your safety. I'll make this quick..."_

A sudden jolt of energy tore through Artemis' body, as though he were being electrocuted by a hundred bolts of lightening. But as quickly as the shock came, it disappeared, replaced by a warm tingling in the back of his mind. His body felt rejuvenated, as though it were never hurt, the aches and bruises gone instantly. _Magic._

"_Yes, Artemis. I just gave you a small dose of magic, like wiring money from one bank account to another. It's only a tiny amount, but it will be sufficient for what is coming."_

"And what is that?" Artemis asked, thrilled by the feeling that magic instilled.

Quan spoke with assurance. _"I know that they will come for you, and you will be rescued. But when you are freed, I will need you to free us. The magic I just gave you will be required in order to give us the nudge necessary to unlock the metaphysical chains that bind us. Given your understanding of magic and a plethora of related subjects, I feel that you are the best candidate to make this work. Oh and have this too."_

Artemis' head spun as a flurry if images flooded his mind, spilling in like a deluge of thought. He saw thousands of things at once, a raging tide of scenes and colors. The boy felt dizzy as he put a hand to his head, rubbing it carefully. Quan spoke again into his mind. _"Those were simply the directions to the place in which we are being held. They will prove useful, this facility is a maze of death if you don't know where you're going."_

Sure enough, Artemis began to piece together the images into a coherent map of the facility. The size of it boggled his mind, thousands upon thousands of tunnels and passageways twisting in random directions, a spider web of passages, chambers and colossal caverns. Surely even he would have gotten lost had he been forced to search for Quan without any sense of direction.

"_I have to go now, she's getting close. Just remember Artemis, Opal may have relatively the same persona she had years ago, but there's also a new dimension to her, one far more dangerous than anything imaginable. Be careful, and good luck."_

With that the presence faded away, leaving Artemis alone once more in the oppressing cell. The magic had failed to do one thing, and that was easing his hunger and thirst, which plagued him relentlessly as he sat upon the cold floor, his body shaking from the cold. He willed the discomfort away. He had to hold on, for his friends and family, for the People and the whole of humanity. Now all he had to do was wait, wait and hope that they would make it through. As the boy envisioned his friends valiantly taking on Koboi, the frigid air twirled around him, the howl of wind passing under the door rising like a choir of the dead.

**Haven City – Police Plaza**

The air was thick with the residue of war, smoke and dust still present hours after the final shots had been fired. Haven's raging fires had been almost completely doused, but the city still smoldered weakly, smoke rising from the flattened metropolis as it escaped from the battle charred earth. Countless bodies littered the streets, the dead remnants of the colossal daemon army covering the ground. Burnt out tanks, destroyed artillery and crashed gunships were strewn about as well, their deadly forms rendered useless by the combined forces that had overwhelmed them. Distant rumbles echoed across the city as ruined buildings crumbled, the taller structures downtown falling one by one as their foundations finally gave out. The air was filled with emergency craft, as well as a great number of assault ships and drones, still vigilant against any new threats.

Since the allied victory, Haven had become a giant relief effort. Thousands of injured fairies and displaced civilians were tended to, food and supplies being shipped in from Atlantis and any other surrounding settlements in an attempt to aid the extirpated city. It had been the single most disastrous event for the People since the great wars of old, one that would no doubt be carried far into the future within the archives of history and remembrance, a moment in their history where so many gave everything to assure the survival of their kind. As the city began to regain a sense of control and stability, the fallen were finally given rest. They had put their lives on the line with selfless courage and determination, and had paid the ultimate price for the ones they loved. They would not be forgotten.

Commander Trouble Kelp solemnly stood watch as the deceased officers that were under his command were taken from the battlefield, a deeply saddened look on his face, his helmet held in the crook of his arm. How victory had cost them, how great a price had been paid! As the leader of LEP forces, Trouble couldn't help but feel responsible for each and every one of them. He regretted that which he failed to do, and he felt the snide remarks in the back of his mind telling him that he had failed. But he suppressed these things, knowing that such self destructive thought would only be of detriment to his ability to lead those that still lived onward.

As he took in the morbid scene, Foaly chimed in on his communicator. "You wanted a report on their progress Commander?" He asked tiredly, his energy long gone from the constant stress.

"Go ahead Foaly." Trouble responded, not taking his eyes from his fallen comrades.

The centaur cleared his throat. "Alright. They have finished gathering their forces, and have now moved out as per Mulch's instruction. I still can't believe we're following his lead, but it's not like we have any other options."

Kelp didn't move, his speech reserved and his mind numb. "I know how you feel. We'll just have to trust him."

Foaly didn't talk for a few seconds, seeming hesitant to say something. When he did, there were equal measures of fear and anger in his voice. "Do you really think that Opal is behind all of this?"

Trouble grimaced slightly, the name bringing up many bad memories, the loss of Julius on the very top. "I honestly hope not. I'd rather face a million other foes than her. But regardless of who it is, they will be brought to justice." He clenched his fists as he continued his watch over his officers. "Holly and the others will see to that, I know they won't fail. They will see it through to the end."

Foaly nodded on his side of the link, a worried frown growing on his visage. "I just hope they'll be alright. We've lost too many already..."

"I couldn't agree with you more." Trouble stated. "They will pull through, I just know it."

"I hope to the gods that you're right." Foaly said quietly, wishing that he could have such confidence. But with everything that had happened, he just wasn't sure anymore. Death had been within a hair's breadth of them all, and he couldn't shake the feeling that things were only just getting started.

**Abandoned Tunnels – Ten Miles Outside Haven**

The dark expanse of the rugged tunnel stretched onward into oblivion, no light coming from anywhere ahead, as though all that awaited was darkness eternal. The passage was cut through the dense bedrock that was ubiquitous at such depth, the walls jagged and unforgiving, barely any level of actual technology visible except for a long since deactivated lighting system. The tunnel was not used often in the past, but rather it was restricted due to safety concerns and the fact that it was utterly pointless, as nothing but more abandoned relics awaited on the other end. Despite this, however, the ancient road was covered with the signs of travel, the very ground cracked by the stress of what had passed through. No doubt it had been the daemon forces.

The stale air was cut by numerous beams of light, the sounds of vehicles echoing down the lonely passage. From the gloom came a large convoy of allied military machinery from both General Winters' Atlantean force and Commander Ivankov's division, the units stretched out in a compact column as they cautiously proceeded forward.

At the forefront of the column was a black armored SUV, a large, multi-barreled cannon on its roof. Within this heavily fortified vehicle sat two humans and two fairies. In the front, Commander Ivankov had the wheel, the kleptomaniac dwarf Mulch sitting next to him, an overly excited look on his face. An impassive Butler took up the entire middle row of seats, his massive form squeezed in by some sort of a magic trick. In the back, an egregiously bored looking Holly Short resided, who was trying to ameliorate such boredom by cleaning her Neutrino for the tenth time.

Upon finishing the maintenance procedure yet again, Holly called to the front. "Mulch, do you have any idea where you're going?"

The dwarf, who was rummaging through the glove box, turned back to face the others, motioning to his ubiquitous facial hair. "Always trust the beard kids."

When Mulch had stated that he knew where to find the source of the attacks, almost everyone thought he was just crazy. However, they were at a loss as to where to look, so were forced by default into accepting the dwarf's help. Not that it was free, of course. Mulch had asked for the usual over the top things, though he started by demanding for everyone to forget the stash of stolen goods he had compiled in the sewers, thus giving him a clean record again. Most of the LEP officers, including Trouble, would rather eat troll droppings than give the dwarf a medal, his own statue in Haven, a hundred gold bars, diplomatic immunity, a lifetime supply of every type of food, and his own reality show. But they grudgingly acquiesced, knowing that they didn't have to keep their end of the bargain so long as the dwarf broke the law after things were resolved, which they knew he would.

Mulch put his hairy feet upon the dashboard, pointing with his toe towards a tunnel that branched off from the one they were in. "The beard says that way!" He stated happily, absorbed in his own sense of inviolability. "I'm really starting to like this. It's like having my own Russian chauffeur, except it includes a personal army. Just think: Diggum's division! Nice ring to it."

Ivankov turned the wheel, an unamused look on the middle aged man's face. Clearly everyone was getting tired of the dwarf's naturally mind-exploding behavior.

The convoy turned into the larger passage, their lights shining upon the dark surfaces, seeking to illuminate any sort of hiding spot. As they pressed onward into the new tunnel, Foaly came in on the comm link.

"My sensors are completely blind from this point out, though I can still manage to communicate sufficiently. I'm sorry to say, but I won't be able to help you much on this one, not unless I put up a brand new sensor grid, which would take a while given my resources are spread too thin as it is..."

"It's alright Foaly." Holly assured, absentmindedly testing the trigger pull on her pistol. "We'll be just fine. All of this will be wrapped up in no time."

"That's great to hear and all, but please, be careful. If Opal is truly the one behind this, there's no telling what awaits you." Foaly pleaded, already worried for Holly's safety.

"If that's the case, then we'll end her, once and for all." Butler rumbled, checking the advanced human combat attire that he had been given before they had moved out.

"And once we get Artemis back, there will be no stopping us." Holly added.

"I hope so." Foaly said, not so sure himself.

Farther down the tunnel, a daemon soldier observed the approaching force through a set of high powered visual scanners, seeming to be waiting for something. It checked a data pad, on which were marked numerous red symbols, as well as the advancing convoy. It stood there patiently, watching as the LEP and human units got closer to the red markers.

The force proceeded unbeknownst into the red lines, crossing the first set of markers without noticing a thing.

A sudden flicker of activity flitted across the shadows deeper in the tunnel, eliciting Borislav's attention. He signaled for the convoy to halt, looking intently toward the distance.

"What is it?" Holly called from the back, unable to see from behind the mountain of a bodyguard.

"Something's not right." He said uneasily.

He took out a pair of thermal scanners, putting them to his eyes as he zoomed in on where he thought he'd seen something. Sure enough, the silhouette of a daemon scout was standing several hundred meters away, unmoving.

As the man communicated the threat with the units under his command, the daemon in question brought up its data pad again, this time with a smaller device in its other hand. It was a detonator. It knew that it had been exposed, so now it did the only thing it was programmed to do; eliminate the threat. Without any level of emotion, the daemon pressed the detonator, not caring that it too would be caught in the resulting destruction.

A split second later, a massive explosion filled the air above the leading SUV, dislodging the entire ceiling. Borilsav quickly pushed the vehicle forward, dodging a large chunk of stone, trapping them on the other side, cut off from the main convoy, which had quickly reversed out of harm's way.

"I guess we are on the right track then!" Holly yelled above the sounds of falling bedrock.

"Let's hope that was the only charge they planted. If this entire tunnel goes down it will take days to clear out and re-stabilize." Ivankov stated. Another explosive charge went off, followed by another, and another. "I spoke too soon..." The man said, flooring the accelerator as hundreds of tonnes of stone came down around them.

"They've rigged the entire tunnel, we've got no choice but to go forward. Hold on!" The man said as he gripped the wheel tightly.

The souped-up vehicle blasted forward, its miniature fusion reactor sending to from zero to a hundred in one second. As they moved forward at neck breaking speeds, dozens demolition charges went off above them, their gigantic explosions following them persistently as they tried to outrun the wave of falling rock. The occupants held onto whatever they could as they shot down the tunnel, pieces of stone bouncing off of he reinforced glass as they weaved in between falling stalactites, their time sharpened ends piercing the ground around them like super sized knives.

"Can this thing go any faster!" Holly yelled, looking out the back window at the crushing demise that was closing in. In response, Ivankov switched the vehicle into overdrive, eliciting another jolt of acceleration that pressed everyone abruptly into their seats.

As they began to put distance between themselves and the ruin behind them, a string of more charges went off in front, creating a deluge of collapsing stone and supports. They were now caught, literally, between a rock and a hard place.

Mulch, who was indeed quite terrified, pointed at the ever growing barrier before them. "We're going through that!?"

Borislav clutched the wheel tightly, gritting his teeth. "Either that or we die here, your choice."

Mulch shut up, instead opting to hide in the foot space below the seat.

As they got closer and closer to the crumbling section of tunnel, the space between two massive pieces of falling bedrock got smaller, an ever decreasing gap that was their only hope for escape. The advanced vehicle was pushed forward, its speed now reaching over three hundred miles an hour, maxing out its RPM dial. "Here we go!" The driver said, now only a dozen meters from the opening, which seemed too small for the vehicle to pass through. With a loud crash, the SUV blasted into the small opening, the enclosing stone pressing its sides as it shot through, making an ear splitting sound as it scraped against the vehicle. Hundreds of smaller rocks and chunks of dirt pummeled the roof like a hail storm on steroids, numerous dents forming in the armored surface as dense rock dropped on it from hundreds of feet above. It was a horrendous cacophony, as though they were inside a steel drum that was being hit by a hundred clubs at once.

All of the sudden, they cleared the deadly stone hurricane, emerging into a massive chamber. Behind them, the giant chunks of stone came together, creating a massive explosion of debris. Even more sections of the tunnel fell after, the remaining explosives being set off in an attempt to stop the intruders, who were already through. As the last demolition charges went off, an enormous cloud of dust and rock fragments blew out of the destroyed tunnel, blasting by them with almost enough force to flip the vehicle over.

Borislav released the wheel, sitting back in his seat with a sense of great relief. Everyone else was equally as relieved, their pulses ramped up from the deadly ride.

"That was too close." Ivankov breathed. "Maybe I'm getting too old for this."

Butler shook his head. "You're one to talk, I've got seniority here."

"Point taken." The man said thoughtfully.

As the clouds of smoke and dust began to clear, the enormous cavern that they were now in began to take shape, and a familiar one at that. Through the dust appeared the looming structures that had long since been left to crumble, their battered surfaces covered with holes and detritus. They were at the eleven wonders of the world.

Holly looked through the front window, taking in the sight with a look of surprise. It had been years since she'd seen this place, the memories of the last time flooding into her head. Those years ago, Artemis and her had been cast together against a common foe, the same one that they may be facing now. Her attention turned to the temple of Artemis, the very same building on which they had almost been disemboweled by hordes of angry trolls, saved at the last moment. It was a bizarre reunion between them and the place in which Opal had left them to die, one that bore the same sour taste of the last time, the taste that conflict and death concocted.

"I never thought I'd see this dung hole again." Holly said to herself as she observed their surroundings, searching for any signs of hostiles soldiers.

"Indeed." Butler said deeply, rather displeased with the abysmal mess that was before him.

Mulch pulled himself up from the floor space, absentmindedly taking a bug from his beard and popping it into his mouth. Upon seeing the dead amusement park, he grinned childishly. "You see fellas! Just like old times!"

Holly groaned, very much despising the painful experiences which the old times entailed.

As they looked around, they noticed a bizarre lack of enraged trolls, though it was obvious that they had been eliminated by the enemy forces. An extremely worried voice cut in via their communicators.

"Is everyone alright?" Foaly asked desperately.

"We're fine Foaly." Holly assured. "We managed to get through to the other side of the passageway, we almost didn't make it."

The centaur let out an audible sigh. "Thank the gods. When those charges went off I feared for the worst."

Holly smiled at her friend's worry, again glad that he was unharmed by the battle. "Don't you worry, it will take a lot more than what they can dish out to stop us. What's the status on the rest of the convoy?"

Foaly didn't speak for a second as he checked another screen. "The explosives were situated within that section of the tunnel only. The rest of the force made it out just fine. The problem is that they're completely cut off from being able to assist you, and even with our excavation tech it may take days to make that passage usable again."

"So there's no other way in?" Ivankov asked. He was not happy with being cut off, but the news that his men were alright was of much greater importance to him, thus he was in a good mood.

"None whatsoever." Foaly said apprehensively. "That area was scheduled to be completely recycled, so it was not of great importance to make any more ways in. Any other entrances that may have been there a few years ago have been sealed off."

Butler cleared his throat. "Then we will go on ahead. We cannot wait for the way to be cleared, as that would only give the enemy more time to act."

"Agreed." Ivankov said. "We will see what we can find."

Foaly didn't like the prospect of them going on their own, but then again he agreed with their thinking. If it was Opal pulling the strings, then even a few extra hours of delay could spell disaster, let alone a few days. "Alright." He finally said. "Just be careful."

Once the centaur left to comm link, the group resumed their reconnaissance of the region, though they remained inside the vehicle should anything suddenly go wrong. From what they could see, the area was deserted, no a single movement visible throughout the ruined landscape. It was quiet, though not the sort that brought comfort or ease. It was the silence that one felt before a storm, a small respite preceding a great cataclysm. They were being watched.

Borislav drummed his fingers apprehensively on the steering wheel, gazing seriously at the gloomy structures before them, their large forms creating a graveyard of forgotten constructs. After a moment he stopped, his demeanor reverting back to the usual professional form.

"Butler, take the turret." He said placidly, now utterly focused and calm with the task at hand.

"With pleasure." The bodyguard said, happy to be finished sitting around. He fluidly opened the top hatch of the SUV, managing to fit through the opening. He much more preferred being out there than within the enclosed space. He was much more exposed, but the combined protection of being Butler and the advanced combat armor that he'd been given made it relatively safe for the monstrous human. The main gun was still intact, its well crafted surface covered with scratches a dents, but otherwise functional. He looked over the large, rapid fire pulse gun appreciatively, familiarizing himself with the controls. Within ten seconds he'd mastered the weapon, without even having to fire it.

"Ready." Butler called into the vehicle, his body preparing itself for conflict. He couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. He was going to bring the fight to them, and bring Artemis back. There was nothing he wanted more than that.

Borislav nodded, putting the vehicle into drive. "Keep your eye's pealed, we're going in." He said as he pressed the accelerator, taking the armored SUV towards the looming skeletons of the wonders. They cautiously closed the distance between themselves and the dilapidated tourist attraction, passing under the rusted archway that signaled their entry into the depressing ruins. The ground was trampled down completely, its surface clearly compressed by immeasurable footsteps. Yet, despite the obvious passage of the daemon army, they couldn't see anything by the dead structures around them.

Shadows dominated the street on which they drove, the space between the massive buildings completely shrouded in darkness. Butler kept his fingers on the trigger, the powerful cannon pointed at the deceiving shadows as he looked about vigilantly, his training kicking in as he regarded the urban environment with a tactical eye. The vehicle slowed to a crawl as they reached the center of the complex, the reconstruction of the Temple of Artemis towering above them. On the ground before it were the dreadfully ruined forms of the previously automated human mannikins. Their outer bodies were almost completely worn off, leaving the rusted old machinery showing, as though they were rotting away, their bones laid bare by the passage of time. As they passed the bizarre display, they noticed a large pile of something within one of the gaps between the structures. Butler shined the turret mounted light upon the unknown material, illuminating the rotting corpses of over two dozen trolls. Their bodies were riddled with the marks of heavy weaponry, gaping holes the size of basket balls torn through their thick flesh. It was a horrid sight, not because they were dead, but because they had been wiped out with such ease and ferocity, stacked carelessly like a pile of dolls. It didn't ease their tensions whatsoever, rather it amplified them to even higher levels. They were not alone.

Suddenly, Borislav stopped the vehicle, looking intently at somewhere in front of them, a look of slight dismay on his face. "It's a trap...дерьмо!"

To answer the man's statement, a flurry of bullets rained down on the vehicle. From above them, upon the large buildings, emerged several dozen daemon infantry, their weapons blazing as they fired down on the intruders with deadly intent. From behind the imposing bulk of the temple came the obvious form of a gunship, its engines howling devilishly as it approached them. As Borislav floored it yet again, Butler responded with the pulse cannon, sending a solid stream of high powered energy rounds into the assaulting daemons, sending many of them tumbling off of the ruined structures.

Holly sat impatiently in the back seat, itching to get into the fight as she drummed her fingers agitatedly on her rifle. She hated sitting around, in the middle of a high speed gun fight, doing nothing but keeping the seat warm. As the vehicle sped through the complex, weaving between ruined kiosks and piles of rubble, a loud boom resounded from behind them. Holly looked out the back window, ducking immediately as a 30mm cannon round rammed the rear of the SUV. The reinforced glass stopped it, but was rendered useless at the same time, the large shell embedded in it. Holly observed the window, noting its weakness, before smashing it open with the butt of her rifle, sending the already compromised pane of glass tumbling to the earth. With a look of determination, she aimed her weapon from the opening, unleashing a steady stream of pulse rounds with perfect precision. She aimed at a group of daemon soldiers as they fired from atop the half destroyed foundation of one of the great pyramids, sending them rolling down the side with a single shot each.

As they powered around the area, dodging heavy ordnance from the pursuing gunship, Butler ducked down from the turret, narrowly missing an encounter with a missile as it flew over, exploding against a structure in front of them.

"It's too hot out there, we need to change tactics." The bodyguard rumbled.

"Quite obviously yes!" Borislav said loudly above the continuous blasting from Holly's rifle.

As they made their way to turn into a narrow alleyway, a missile hit right below them, sending the armored SUV flying through the air. When it landed, it rolled over violently several times before becoming upright, lodging itself in a ditch. Somehow, the turret was still in one piece.

Thanks to the reinforced frame and blast resistance of the vehicle, everyone was alive, though severely disoriented by the sudden crash. It took them a few seconds to come to, rubbing their heads as they regained their composure, everyone except Mulch. The dwarf was huddled in the front seat, holding his gut, a pained look on his face.

"You alright?" Ivankov asked, noting Mulch's obvious discomfort.

"Perfectly." The dwarf said with a strained voice. "Been holding this gas for too long."

Butler frowned at the mention of gas, eying the door as he automatically prepared for a quick exit should the dwarf let loose.

"We've got bigger problems than gas!" Holly yelled from the rear, peaking out the window.

Everyone else turned their attention to the back, and upon noticing what was behind them, quickly ducked as low as they could. Approaching the rear end of the armored SUV were over two dozen heavily armed daemons, as well as a gunship farther back. They held their fire for some reason, though looked more than ready to light the vehicle up. Another gunship appeared in front to them, its deadly form closing in slowly, tauntingly.

"We're surrounded!" Holly said with a hushed tone, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping that the enemy assumed that the crash had killed them.

Mulch groaned. "I've gotta go! It's too much to hold!" The dwarf clutched his belly, rolling on the floor in agony as he attempted to hold the deadly gas at bay. After a moment, the dwarf clued into what was going on. Despite his obvious pain, a sly grin grossed his face. "Help me to the back."

Butler put it together immediately, a grin crossing his face as well. "Alright, Mr. Diggums."

The bodyguard lifted the kleptomaniac dwarf to the back seat, attempting to maintain a low profile, which was virtually impossible, like a whale trying to hide behind a soda machine. Mulch scooted himself past Holly, pulling down the back seat in a hurried fashion, no doubt close to letting loose. The daemons were now only ten yards away, their guns raised as they closed in on the beat up SUV. The gunships hovered above, waiting for any sign of life.

Mulch positioned himself in the rear of the vehicle, making sure to unbutton his bum flap. "Hey, Russian guy, pop the trunk will ya?"

Borislav raised an eyebrow, but nonetheless pressed the trunk's opening control.

The daemon platoon stopped abruptly as the trunk slowly opened, its bent up form making a high pitched squeaking sound as it came up. As the door rose, the daemons raised their weapons, ready to shoot anything that was within the vehicle. But as they began to see what awaited them, they tilted their heads in confusion, their artificial minds not comprehending what they were seeing. Before them was a pair a massive, pearly white butt cheeks, a hairy face looking from behind them with a very wide grin.

"Special delivery from your favorite dwarf, Mulch Diggums!" Mulch yelled comically, eliciting even more confusion from the daemons, who didn't register the profane dwarf as a threat, but rather an egregious abnormality. Big mistake.

With a laugh, the dwarf let loose, unleashing hell upon the daemons. The air was cut by the deafening sound of flatulence as a shock wave of gas exploded from the dwarf, ramming into the two dozen daemons with enough force to crush a tank. The infantry were sent flying into the air at a speed of over one hundred kilometers an hour, their flailing forms firing their guns sporadically as they careened through the sky. The gunship behind them was also pushed back by the blast, though only slightly. However, this changed when a dozen of the daemons rammed right into it, their armored bodies punching through the ship's hull with a sickening crunch. The ship, along with the rest of the daemons, were sent flying into the ruins of the pyramid, hitting it with such force that it caused for the structure to collapse in on itself, the gunship exploding along with it in a shower of fire and dust.

Mulch wasn't done yet. His gases still exploded from his rear, causing for the SUV to be literally launched from the ditch in which it was stuck, sending it flying into the air like a rocket. Everyone held on for their dear lives as they were propelled towards the second gunship. Butler, who was the only one with enough bulk to stay secure without using his hands, pulled himself up into the still operational turret, knowing exactly what to do. As the flying SUV rocketed towards the gunship, which was finally warming up its chain guns, Butler opened up with the pulse cannon, cutting into the ship with a deadly storm of energy bursts. The pulse rounds blew through the canopy of the craft, killing the pilot as well as nearly cutting the ship in half. As they flew past it, the now out of control gunship exploded in mid air, creating a ball of fire behind the now falling vehicle, making it look like the most bizarre stunt job in history.

With a crash, the SUV landed on the solid earth, its advanced suspension absorbing most of the shock, piles of dust and debris flying around it as it plowed through a pile of garbage. After a few seconds of uncontrolled movement, the flatulence stopped, allowing for Borislav to slam on the brakes, bringing the severely damaged vehicle to a halt.

For a moment nobody moved, the sheer ridiculousness of what had just transpired simply overwhelming them. After a second, Mulch came back from the rear, buttoning up his bum flap. "And that is why I should have my own television show." He said with a gleeful grin on his face.

Everyone else looked at him with complete awe, never before having seen such pure militarized use of flatulence. After a few seconds, Holly snapped out of the shock, a large grin replacing the confused look on her face. She punched the dwarf on the shoulder. "That was awesome."

Butler nodded in consensus, his fears of the dwarf's gas now multiplied after what he'd just seen. Nonetheless, he was glad Mulch was with them. You never know when you'll need a kleptomaniac dwarf with explosive gas.

Borislav chuckled deeply, utterly surprised by the dwarf's actions, and extremely pleased with the results. "That's got to be some sort of a record, I think we just beat Evil Kenevil's score by ten and a half buses."

"That's nothing." Mulch said loftily. "One time I powered an old shuttle with my wind, flew two miles in it before crashing into a B'wa Kel bar. They weren't very happy with that." The dwarf laughed at the memory.

Everyone allowed themselves a brief moment of relief, no a single sign of additional daemons visible. But such relaxation was a luxury they could not afford. Time waited for no one, and they had very little of it.

Borislav examined the vehicle, testing the accelerator. The vehicle didn't even make a sound. After one more try, the man sat back. "This vehicle is done for. We'll have to continue by foot."

Holly frowned. "The question is where."

"We'll figure that out soon enough. For now, let's just get out of here. The ruckus that we've just made will surely draw in more of them." Butler stated, readying his pulse rifle.

Butler put his hand on the door latch, pulling it moderately to open the side door. It didn't budge. The vehicle's exterior had been twisted around, making the door inoperable. The man shrugged, kicking the door right off of the vehicle, sending it flying a dozen yards. The others got out with little incident, not having to further deface the already broken SUV. They swiftly put some distance between themselves and the vehicle, moving to a shadowed position in the alleyway between two of the large structures. They stopped once they reached a series of old dumpsters, using their large metal forms as cover.

"So," Holly addressed. "What's the plan?"

Ivankov shrugged. "We know that they originated from this area, but we haven't seen anything but the small patrol we encountered."

Butler peered across the street, seeing nothing but deceased daemons and empty gloom. He had his weapon ready, not for a second letting his guard down. For a moment the man listened, his senses tingling as he thought he felt something in the air.

Holly noticed the bodyguard's demeanor. "What is it Butler?" She asked, looking curiously into the streets as well.

"Wait." He said. "Something's coming."

Before they could inquire as to what specifically that something was, a loud screech split the silence, followed by the unmistakable sound of massive gears turning. They cautiously peered out from their position to find the source of the sudden noise, making sure to keep a low profile.

In the middle of the street, spanning about a hundred feet across, was a massive doorway opening in the ground. Its thick blast doors slowly slid into hidden chambers as a large ramp became visible, its steady decline leading into the darkness below. From the shadowy gloom within the hidden tunnel came the obvious cry of more gunships, as well as numerous footfalls. The group quickly hid behind their cover once again, right as a large force poured from the passageway. As they came out, they turned their attention to the crashed SUV in the middle of the road, aiming their weapons automatically. With a loud series of explosions and gunshots, the daemon infantry and gunships lit up the already ruined vehicle, reducing it to ashes in a matter of seconds.

Mulch sneaked a peek. "Bingo!" He said to himself.

The enemy had been right under their feet the entire time, located in an area just below the eleven wonders, linked by the hidden but now visible passageway. It was a stroke of fortune that the daemons had chosen to emerge rather than wait out the threat, which would have made things a lot more difficult for the foursome. Obviously they couldn't tolerate any sort of vexation without blowing it to smithereens and then some.

As the enemy units studied the remains of the SUV, searching for any signs of bodies, several detachments spread out into patrols, their focus now on finding the missing occupants of the vehicle. The foursome pressed themselves against the stone wall, the rusting old dumpster the only thing between then and discovery, as an infantry patrol stalked past the alleyway. The sounds of their heavy footfalls echoed down the narrow passage, bouncing off of the walls as it twisted into a disorienting noise. As the last of the heavily armed soldiers passed their refuge, they waited for an additional minute before making any movements, patience becoming their greatest ally against the ever rising odds.

After a long moment of complete silence, Mulch let out a quiet sigh. "Well." He whispered. "What's on the itinerary now, maybe we can get some food or something."

Holly shook her head. "Sorry Mulch, but we can't afford to get sidetracked now. We have to figure out a way into whatever is below us."

As the Dwarf pouted childishly, Butler peered around the corner, observing the entrance that as now filling the street. There were well over fifty daemons guarding the way in, as well as several gunships hovering around the perimeter. They were obviously not taking any chances, the integrity of the area below of utmost importance. The bodyguard frowned, seeing that a direct approach was suicide.

He looked back to the others. "There's no way we're getting in the front door."

Ivankov looked to the sky as a gunship flew over. "Perhaps a distraction will suffice."

"Maybe." Butler said, still thinking. "But with the magnitude of their current forces, a diversion could prove disastrous. There's no telling how many more of them are waiting below. If we make any chaos up here, reinforcements may arrive before we can get inside. And even if we did, they'd be expecting something."

Mulch raised his hand. "How about we just use the back door?" He grinned.

"There's only one way in, Mulch." Holly deadpanned.

"I know." The dwarf said. "But making back doors is one of my specialties."

Butler nodded. "So you think that you can dig a tunnel that will allow us access." The man stated.

"Absolutely." Mulch said pridefully. "It just so happens that I was digging in these parts a few decades ago, when I robbed Haven's museums of some shiny artifacts."

Holly gave him a very unamused look. "Really?"

The dwarf grinned widely. "Of course! But let's put my past aside. I do recall there being a nice vein of clay right under this area. It should give me enough space to navigate towards the facility below, probably to a ventilation shaft, or the kitchen...If they have one..."

Borislav nodded in approval. "Sounds better than stirring up this beehive with a diversion. How soon can you get us through?"

Mulch sniffed the air, his beard quivering with a life of its own as it sought out something. After a moment he looked down the opposite end of the alleyway. "This way! There should be a perfect spot just up here."

Everyone cautiously followed the dwarf, keeping their figures as low a possible. In only a few dozen paces, Mulch stopped, brushing debris and rubble from the earth. Sure enough, an opening had formed in between two broken sections of the stone surface revealing a damp layer of clay. The dwarf sniffed the earth, rubbing his hands together. "Mmmm, this smells good."

Without a moment's hesitation, Mulch unhinged his jaw and subsequently dove into the ground, disappearing amidst a small shower of dirt, leaving a wide hole behind him. The three others looked uncertainly at the dark tunnel as the sounds of digging faded away.

"Interesting character that one." Ivankov stated absentmindedly, keeping his eye on the area around them.

"You have no idea." Holly replied, a slight grin on her face.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, the sounds of movement echoed up the shaft. Mulch popped out of the hole, his face covered with dirt, and his massive grin filled with clay.

"Well kids, what are you waiting for?" He said, waving his hands for them to enter the newly constructed tunnel.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Holly asked, holstering her weapon as she prepared to crawl through the muddy passageway.

Mulch frowned genuinely. "No, I failed to find anything that resembled a kitchen. I did, however, locate a ventilation shaft that connects to the complex below. I've already breached its wall with some of my custom concoction, so it's clear sailing!"

"Good, then let's this over with." Holly stated as she walked up to the tunnel. Mulch disappeared back into his creation as the others squeezed into the passage, not bothering to even try and keep their gear from getting dirty. When one has anything to do with Mulch Diggums, staying clean is an impossibility. As the last of them vanished into the earth, the hole was sealed, leaving not a single trace that they had been there. Just as they did this, a daemon patrol turned down the alley, walking over the dig site without a single clue that they were right on top of their quarry.

**Unknown Location**

The vast chamber stretched out for hundreds of feet, its ends disappearing in the red clouds and black mist that filled the air, the opposing colors mixing together into a dreadful texture. Loathsome sounds echoed throughout the room, distorted and twisted around into an even more bizarre noise, one that was filled with every dark emotion in the universe. It was as though the very fabric of reality was being turned on its head, as though by entering the room one entered Hades itself, a land of the evil dead. An iron gate at the far end swung open silently, as though the nefarious noise within was not to be disturbed. From the dark halls beyond, a shadowed figure walked in, the air around it congealing into tendrils of crimson, dark magic emanating from the being like heat from a fire. Opal Koboi paid no attention to the maddening noise, which to her was akin to a song, a song that sung of the cruel demise of her foes.

With a cool demeanor, the pixie walked to the center of the room, her footsteps making more sound than they logically should have, as though she were many times her actual size. In the middle of the chamber was an elevated pedestal made of red tinted stone. Upon it was a sealed scroll tube, its aged surface glowing faintly, pulsing with a life of its own. Within the archaic case were even more archaic manuscripts, on them the very arcane spells and dark magic that she possessed now. When she reached the pedestal, she brushed aside an invisible barrier, stepping up to the artifact with a hungry look in her eyes.

_Such power! _She thought, her eyes glowing hauntingly. _Such wonderful power that is now mine!_

She let her hands hover over the scroll case, feeling the pure imperium that gushed from the magical artifacts that were within, a grin growing on her nefarious features.

_And this is but a taste of that which is to come! Once I find the gateway, this power that I have now will be but a trivial drop within a sea of fire! Nothing, not those vexing fairies, or those idiot humans, nor Fowl's intellect will be able to stand in my way!_

Opal grinned even wider as her own magic linked with that of the scrolls, her twisted senses screaming with joy as they felt the unbridled power that flowed freely, an intoxicating strength that would overpower the minds of lesser beings. But she was anything but lesser. _No. _She thought. In her mind she was the pinnacle of existence, the most powerful being on the earth, a monument to supremacy and devastation, the very definition of invincibility.

She cast her consciousness into the metaphysical realm around her, exploring the intricacies of the magical masterpiece that was before her, viewing its structure and flow, trying to unlock that which it still hid from her.

It was a daunting task, even for her, to unravel the greatest secret that the manuscripts held. But it was only a question of time. With her immortality she had all the time in the world, whilst her enemies were limited by the biological constraints of life.

She let herself drift in the firestorm of magical flow around her, her attention falling to the forms that were imprisoned in her facility. She took great pleasure to watch the defeated warlocks in their futile struggle to escape from the magical chains that bound them, caught in an eternal cycle of magical channeling. She loved to see these powerful foes reduced to simple tools for her nefarious use, their enormous pride trampled on by falling to such a degrading level of existence. It made her laugh inside.

But what made her truly leap for joy was seeing Artemis, that pathetic mud boy, wallowing in filth and decay, locked away in the depths of her abode. Her wicked heart sang with hate fueled excitement every time it felt him tremble from cold and dehydration. Her mind swam with pleasure when it felt his negative emotions escape his disciplined mind. It was her greatest enjoyment to see him in such a low position, and her senses tingled at the prospect of dragging his suffering into the rest of his life. Oh how delicious it tasted, how sweet an appetizer for the feast that was yet to come!

Opal reluctantly drew herself from her deadly fantasizing, bringing herself back into the physical realm, back to the dreadful chamber in which she stood. There was much work to be done before her final move could be made, she could envision the demise of the mud boy later, when all of his allies have been butchered. She looked at the artifact once more, feeling its power.

"I will uncover your secrets soon enough." She said confidently. "For now, I will make the necessary preparations."

She turned around, towards the large doorway. With a casual, self assured gait, the pixie stepped off of the elevated section of the floor, passing through the magical barrier that surrounded the manuscripts. The safeguards closed behind her, forming a deadly wall of magic that shimmered dangerously.

As the air sung with darkness, Opal passed through the doorway, closing it behind her with her magic. The thick gate sealed itself, creating a formidable barrier that made entering an impossibility. With a slight grin, Opal strode down the hall, swirls of magic twisting faintly in the air around her.

_Today is going to be a wonderful day. _The evil pixie thought maniacally as she went down the passage, disappearing in the thick darkness, the sound of her footfalls echoing off of the jagged tunnel walls as they mixed with the muffled howls from within the room.

**Somewhere Underneath the Eleven Wonders**

The air was thick and humid as the four beings crawled through the ventilation shaft, the faint smell of decay wafting around them, taunting them with its elusive and abysmal stench. Whilst the two humans and one elf came up behind, Mulch Diggums peered through the grate that was at the end of the tunnel, sniffing the air as his beard felt for vibrations and activity, seeking out movement like radar. After a moment, the dwarf motioned to those behind him, giving them the all clear. They purposefully avoided verbal communication, knowing that speech would reverberate throughout the tunnel, possibly alerting the enemy of their presence. As they crouched around the still closed grate, Mulch fumbled with the metal barrier, removing it silently with his skilled hands.

One by one, they jumped from the open shaft, landing silently upon the solid stone floor. They had their weapons raised, ready should any hostiles appear, but there were none close to them. The room that they had entered was large, a vaulting ceiling disappearing high above in the gloom. Hundreds of massive cargo containers filled the space, their looming forms stacked high on various racks, an intricate lift system moving them about with ease. The four of them fanned out quietly, forming a wedge as they passed through the storage room. Some of the containers were open, revealing everything from weapons and ammunition, to armor plating and raw materials.

As they neared the other end of the room, they spotted a large blast door, its imposing form silent and dark. Holly motioned for everyone to form up on either side of the barrier as she reviewed the locking mechanism. It was complex, but still no match for her omni-tool, which she promptly put to the control panel. In a matter of seconds, the blast door was unlocked, but Holly refrained from opening it. Instead she looked to the others, who nodded their heads. They were ready.

Holly looked back to the panel, her hand hovering close to the open command. There was no telling what was on the other side of that door, and the possibilities were colossal. Nonetheless, they had no other option. She readied her pulse rifle in one hand, pressing the control mechanism simultaneously with the other.

Without a sound the large portal slid open, artificial light spilling in from the area beyond. Along with the illumination came the loud choir of industrial noise, the unmistakable sounds of heavy machinery and lifts rising increasingly as the door opened wider and wider. The air that rushed through was warm, no doubt heated by the activity within.

The three soldiers swept around the corner, entering the expansive chamber efficiently, their firearms pointed purposefully at the space beyond. Mulch came up behind, not all too willing to be the first to go in. They didn't stop once they arrived in the room, rather they moved stealthily to a pile of crates that was stacked before them, crouching behind them as they peered over the massive area the stretched for hundreds of meters.

The chamber was gigantic, so much so that it made one wonder how it was not noticed before. Within were hundreds of machines, mostly automated cranes and conveyer belts, the whirr of activity echoing endlessly as the scene played before them. Running from one end of the chamber to the endless tunnel beyond were over three dozen gigantic magna-tracks, upon them even larger cargo trains, their long forms stretching over a mile each. The transport cars on the tracks were over a hundred feet high, and easily twice as wide, making their cargo capacity extremely volumous.

With the loud noises that filled the area, Holly spoke, though still in hushed tones. "So this is how they got an entire army into Haven. It was right under our noses the entire time!"

Butler observed the trains. "Indeed. Each of those transports could probably carry thousands of soldiers, and hundreds of vehicles."

It was a magnificent example of pure mechanized perfection, but such made it even more imposing. Whatever was going on, it was bigger than they thought. If their foe had enough resources and the capability to construct such a supply system without being noticed, then there was no telling what else it was capable of. One thing was for sure, the sheer size and ingenuity of the facility before them was easily within Opal Koboi's realm of ability. But the certainty of her involvement was still not one hundred percent.

Ivankov checked his rifle. "So." He whispered. "How exactly are we going to go about this? Shall we jack a train? It is clear that the source of the attacks is at the other end of those tracks..."

Butler observed the region. There were easily hundreds of daemons patrolling the chamber, along with a few dozen armored vehicles near the ramp that went above ground. Such a force was far too large for them to take on alone.

The bodyguard looked back to the others. "It's far too well guarded for us to attempt anything risky. If we're going to get to where those transports are from, we will have to covertly hitch a ride on one of them."

Holly nodded. "Alright. The problem is whether or not any of those transports are going back anytime soon."

"Umm, I think I know which one is going." Mulch whispered, pointing his think fingers towards the nearest train. The transport in question was virtually empty, its large doors open with nothing beyond them. What made it apparent that it was about to move was the series of signal lights above each track. All of the others were red, indicating that they were not operational. The one before them was green.

"Oh." Holly said quietly, a slightly embarrassed tone in her voice. "How did I not see that?"

"Cause I'm awesome." Mulch stated enthusiastically, pointing to himself with a wide grin.

Butler captured everyone's attention with his deep, commanding voice. "We don't have much time until it departs." He said. "If we're going to do this, we'll have to do so now."

Borislav nodded. "Then let's board that train."

Together, moving as surreptitiously as possible, the four beings moved deeper into the room, weaving their way in between the numerous cargo containers and inactive vehicles, the towering transport looming before them as they approached it.

**Haven City – Ops Booth**

Foaly worked tiredly at his command console, his eyes drooping from nonstop effort. Behind him, Commander Trouble Kelp watched the monitors, a serious look on his face.

"What's the word on Holly and the others?" Kelp asked, a slight bit of worry in his voice.

Foaly didn't look very happy at all. He turned to Trouble, an embarrassed look on his face. "I've lost all signals from them. The good news it that it is due to an immense amount of interference, so they are probably doing fine..."

"Let's hope that's the case." Trouble stated. He looked to the battle map on a screen above. Haven was theirs, but their link to Holly was cut by the collapsed tunnel. Kelp frowned as he thought of the massive obstruction that was now keeping them from assisting her.

"What is the status on the blocked tunnel?" The elf asked.

Foaly grimaced as he read out the reports. "We're currently assessing the scale of the collapse. We've contracted a group of dwarf miners to clear it out. They're the best that one can get, but even with their level of skill, it may take days to make it safe to traverse again..."

"D'Arvit!" Trouble swore, glaring at the live feed of the wall of stone that blocked their advance. Here they were with a massive combined force of LEP soldiers and human operatives, utterly useless as only four of their own faced the enemy alone. It was bitter to swallow, but Holly and the others were on their own.

**Below the Eleven Wonders – Supply Track Alpha**

Two daemon soldiers stood stoically by the massive transport, their weapons held perfectly as they stood watch over the open door on one of the cars. One of them held an AA12 automatic shotgun, the other an upgraded softnose laser rifle. Despite their difference in armaments, they looked exactly the same, perfect replicas of a predetermined physical form. They didn't sway of budge as they stood, ramrod straight, as silent sentries. They had no opinion or ability to feel pain or discomfort, nefarious intent being their only trait. They could stand there for years and not care.

A sharp ping sounded from behind a cargo container, eliciting the two daemon's attention. With their weapons raised, they stepped away from their post, splitting up as they approached the container from both sides, their footfalls deceivingly soft as they sneaked towards the source of the suspicious noise. When they reached the edge of the container, they switched their guns to full auto, handling them with expert precision. As one, they burst around the corner, aimed at the space behind the large box. There was nothing but a message scratched on the stone floor.

_Look Up!_

In a pathetic show of gullible idiocy, the two daemons peered upward, pointing their guns to the air above. As they did so, two shadows jumped from the sides of the adjacent containers, vaulting towards them with blinding speed. Before the two guards could bring their weapons to face the charging threat, they each found themselves on the wrong end of a knife, their throats cut instantly by the razor sharp blades as strong hands grabbed them from behind. The daemons struggled frantically for a moment before slumping to the ground, dead.

Butler and Borislav stood over the deceased sentries, wiping their blades off casually.

"All clear." Butler whispered, kicking the guns from the dead enemies' hands out of habit, not taking any chances.

Mulch emerged from behind another container, Holly bringing up the rear as she watched for any threats from behind them. Under normal circumstances Holly would have felt sick at the sight of the slaughtered creatures. But these were anything but normal, and after everything she'd witnessed over the last few days, she could hardly care about the monsters that were bleeding out before her. She was numb to it all.

A loud beep sounded above the train that they were close to, followed by the loud noise of activating fusion engines.

"Let's go!" Butler called, rushing stealthily towards the transport.

Everyone else followed cautiously, their guns held at the ready for any additional sentries. As they reached the train, which was starting to move, the large cargo doors began to close. Butler ran up to them, grabbing both sides of the barrier with his bare hands, grunting as he held them open

"Go!" He grunted, his arms strained from holding the mechanical doors at bay.

The others silently jumped into the cargo car, into the darkness that waited within. As the last of them got through, Butler let go of the door, jumping back into the transport as it slammed shut.

"That was close." Holly stated with a smile, punching Butler hard on the shoulder as the man lay on the floor, his arms aching from exertion. The bodyguard grunted despite himself. Now he got why Artemis had sore shoulders whenever he hung out with the elf, she could dish out quite a punch.

The feeling of motion began to take effect as everyone huddled around the far corner of the train, staying away from the openings as they listened to the loud noise of air whooshing past the transport as it began to pick up speed.

"Now all we do is wait." Borislav said quietly as he cleaned the blade of his combat knife, calm and composed.

"Let's hope we're not too late." Holly said apprehensively, thinking again of Artemis. Every second they spend away from him was a second that Opal had to do as she pleased with the boy. Holly didn't know whether or not the pixie was involved for sure, but her senses told her that she was, and such made her feel extremely worried for Artemis, who was completely alone with the crazy being. As she silently hoped for the friend's safety, the transport rocketed down the enormous tunnel, the hot wind howling violently as the magna-train shot down the tracks at ludicrous speed, disappearing into the endless gloom of the passageway that seemed to stretch on for eternity.


	10. Unto the Breach

**Koboi's Headquarters – Supply Depot**

The ubiquitous sound of magna-trains and heavy machinery echoed throughout the colossal chamber. The expansive area stretched for several kilometers, the ceiling half as high, the gloomy reaches of the cavern illuminated by numerous high-powered lights and an unseen source of crimson glow. The bulky form of a transport train glided slowly into one of the many loading docks, the deep rumble of its fusion engine winding down as it came to a halt.

The depot was a behemothic collection of storage containers, ammunition caches, power lifts, conveyer belts, and dozens of other forms of machinery. Rows upon rows of vacant tanks and gunships filled open tarmacs that periodically interrupted the plethora of supplies, their deadly forms quiet but menacing. Hundreds of daemons guarded the area, hundreds more moving weapons and vehicles to various outlets, the supply of deadly ordinance seemingly infinite. As the cacophony of activity reverberated around the chamber, a loud screech of metal sounded sharply from the far end of the cavern. From where the depot ended began a two hundred meter long space of empty ground, the well traveled open area leading up to a set of massive steel doors, the looming structures towering over the tanks and infantry that stood guard at their base, nefarious and vigilant.

Amidst the choir of industrial action, the side doors of the newly arrived magna-train slid open, the transports empty interiors filled with shadows. As groups of daemons approached the train to begin loading procedures, four shrouded figures jumped quietly from the rear car, moving covertly across the teeming loading dock, avoiding several patrols as they sought to distance themselves from the transport. After a solid two minutes of continuous evasion, the four figures crowded behind a deserted section of containers, crouching down as they observed their surroundings.

Captain Holly Short viewed the distant blast doors through her visual scanner, taking in the expansive and deadly cavern with immense attention to detail, knowing such observation could make a great difference in a tactical situation.

After a few minutes she lowered the scanners, an angry look on her face. "This place is locked down tight, the door alone has an entire platoon guarding it, along with an armored section."

The others stood around within their temporary refuge, taking in the area that spanned around them. All of them were armed, even Mulch, who was absentmindedly eating a week old pop tart that was loged deep within his beard. Ivankov stood near the exit, his rifle held at the ready, ever vigilant for patrols. Butler crouched quietly beside Holly, observing what she had just been studying. With a frown he noted the intricate security measures that filled the cavern.

"Indeed." The bodyguard whispered deeply. "Sneaking in is an impossibility, their defenses are too secure to breach without eliciting their response..." The man's face hardened, his fists clenching as he focused on the elaborate blast door. "Artemis is in there." He rumbled, his voice now filled with intent and the need to rescue the boy. He had been waiting far too long to save Artemis, every moment filled with the desire to be by his side. The daemon forces before him were meaningless, a wall of air, a fragile obstruciton. Butler would not allow for anything to get in his way, whether it was an army or seemingly impervious gates. He was so close, he could feel it.

Holly looked to the man mountain, noting his demeanor. "I know." She said softly, her eyes too filled with fire. Her heart yearned to reach Artemis, her desire to free her friend filling her thoughts.

Mulch came up behind them, a disappointed look marring his visage. "Sorry guys." He stated sadly. "But the ground here is solid rock, so there's no digging and entering."

The others nodded solemnly, knowing all too well their now limited options, the only courses of action remaining being ones of enormous risk. Borislav walked up to the others, his eyes watchful and intense.

"So our courses of action have thus been limited to one." He stated solidly.

"It sure seems that way." Holly said, a hint of tension in her voice. "Our only option is to force our way in, right through hundreds of those monsters."

Mulch paled at the thought, his bravado failing as he envisioned taking on the hordes of daemons that were spread throughout the room. "Umm, yeah...Can I sit this one out?"

"If you want to stay here alone with just your flatulence to defend you from whatever shows up, which would not be a very good idea." Butler stated. "The moment we make our move, there will be no safe places in this cavern. It's best if you stick with us."

The dwarf considered his alternatives, of which he had none, before nodding vigorously. "Fine, but I call dibs being behind the human troll." He motioned to Butler, who sighed at Mulch's request.

"Fine." Butler growled. "But keep your rear facing away from me, or I'll have to restrain you."

Mulch grinned. "But of course!" He said exuberantly, winking mischievously at the bodyguard after the statement, causing for the man to frown slightly.

Butler then took his attention back to the expanse before him, reviewing the depot with a deep level of concentration. He noted the numerous ammunition caches, as well as the rows of enemy vehicles. After of moment of thought the man turned to Borislav, a look of anticipation in his eyes. "Tell me, Commander, how good are you at making things blow up?"

The other human smiled devilishly. "Very." He said confidently.

Butler then looked to Holly, who was listening intently to the bodyguard's growing plan. "Holly, I assume that you can proficiently pilot one of those gunships?"

The elf nodded, a sly grin on her face. "There's not a single ship I can't fly."

Butler nodded appreciatively, his scheme taking shape within his mind. After a few seconds of further contemplation, the man turned to Mulch.

"Diggums." He addressed. "I have need of your extremely vexing behavior."

Mulch crossed his arms. "I am not vexing, I am simply beyond your comprehension." The dwarf stated with a degree of mock peevishness. "Nonetheless." He said insidiously, a wide grin growing across his face. "Those freaks are even less understanding."

Butler smiled, happy to have Mulch aboard. "Alight everyone." He rumbled. "Here's the plan."

**Koboi's Headquarters – Supply Depot – Ten Minutes Later**

The platoon of daemon infantry stood guard by the giant alloy portal, their weapons held firm as the large tanks rumbled beside them, their heavy guns armed and ready. The cavern was noisy, but lacking of any abnormal sound, rather just the usual mechanical chaos, a sound that the daemon soldiers had memorized perfectly.

From across the chamber, atop a ridge of jagged stone about halfway to the blast door, lay the bulky form of Butler, a pair of high powered binoculars in his hands. As he observed the enemy positions, a large, suppressed, .50 caliber anti-material rifle sat silently beside him, its large frame pointed from the cliff, the barrel of the powerful weapon aimed towards the depot. He had grabbed the weapon from one of the many supply crates that were sitting about, along with ten extra magazines. After a few more seconds of viewing, the bodyguard put the binoculars down, now putting the large rifle into his hands, bring it to bear as he looked through its scope. On the other end of the sight was the depot, more specifically the far end of it, which was directly visible to the door sentries.

Up on the top of a storage container crouched the kleptomaniac dwarf, Mulch, hiding behind several smaller crates that were staked atop the larger one. Butler brought up his communicator, speaking into it with a low but commanding voice.

"Is everyone in position?" He asked solidly, keeping an eye on Mulch.

"_The charges are set." _Borislav said over the comm link.

"_Ready when you are." _Holly called, her voice filled with excitement.

Butler zoomed in on Mulch. "Mulch, everyone's in position. You can begin any time."

The dwarf spoke quietly. "Aye aye mud man, going loud." The dwarf's voice had a hint of fear in it, but was out measured by the enormous amount of humor that was audible.

Mulch Diggums waited for a brief second, taking a deep breath as he got ready. A few seconds later, the dwarf stood up, a large megaphone in his hands, which he had somehow scrounged from the piles of items that were laying about. With a gargantuan smile, he aimed the device towards the blast door, turning it up to full power. A loud screech filled the chamber as feedback poured from the megaphone, causing for Butler to cover his ears. After a second it stopped, replaced by an egregiously obnoxious voice.

"Testing, testing one two three!" Bellowed, waving his free hand. He pointed it to the daemons guarding the gate, who were quite perplexed.

Mulch grinned. "Hey, dung for brains! Yeah, you scale-heads guarding the gate!"

The dwarf observed with glee as they turned their attention to him, assessing the nature of the intrusion.

Mulch yelled once more. "Get a load of this!"

The dwarf subsequently turned around, his back now facing the gate. He took the megaphone and put it to his rear, his tombstone teeth showing as a massive grin crossed his face. As hundreds of daemons around the depot and at the gate stared at him, the weapons held ready, the dwarf let it rip.

Flatulent sound went into the megaphone, blasting out the other end at colossal levels. The dirty noise filled the cavern, bouncing off of the walls, echoing endlessly as the guards growled. As Mulch's wind fell silent, there was a momentary lull in activity, all eyes upon the dwarf. Such silence was shattered by the combined noise of five hundred daemon infantry and ten tanks powering towards the dwarf, their guns raised menacingly as they ran intently at the source of such horrible perturbation.

"Time to go Mulch!" Butler yelled over the comm link, focusing the gun on the area close to the dwarf. There were daemons closing in on all sides, just as planned.

The dwarf jumped from the container, landing noisily upon the solid ground. He then began to run as fast as he could towards the rear end of the depot, away from the tide of daemon defenders, who were barreling down upon him.

As Mulch ran, Butler opened up, blowing any daemons that got too near to pieces with the high powered rifle. Though the suppressor could hardly negate the sheer volume that the gun released, it was sufficient amidst the loud chaos below. Shot after shot, the bodyguard downed enemy soldiers with precision as they sought to trap the dwarf, who was nearing a section of ammunition dumps. Butler purposefully avoided hitting any daemons that were coming from the gate, rather letting the large force of infantry and tanks power through the depot without any impediments.

"Ivankov, they're coming your way!" Butler yelled over the ear splitting gunshots.

"_Roger that." _The man answered.

From his vantage point atop the ammunition dumps, the Commander aimed his rifle and fired at the charging force, eliciting their attention almost immediately. Borislav then ducked from his position, checking a collection of wires and C4 charges as he did. Everything was perfect.

Mulch rushed up beside the human, breathing hardly as he sweated profusely. "I'm not cut out for cross country. Dwarfs are natural sprinters..."

A few bullets collided with the crate behind him, the metal projectiles pinging off sharply. Borislav grabbed the dwarf, hauling him away from the ammo cache. "Time to go!" He said loudly, the daemon units just a hundred yards behind them.

The two of them ran through a series of narrow passageways, weaving between crates and machines as bullets and laser blasts flew around them. The sound of massive rounds shot past them continuously as Butler provided covering fire, blasting any close daemons apart. After a few moments, the human and dwarf reached the cliff on which Butler was firing from, stopping abruptly. Borislav turned around, eying the daemon forces. Their platoons and armor were now bunched together within the depot, right in between a series of ammunition caches. Checkmate.

As Mulch hid behind a container amidst the gunfire, Ivankov stood casually as he pulled a detonator from a pouch, removing the cover as he grinned. Whilst the daemon rallied towards him, he put his thumb over the button, his other hand activating his comm link.

"Everybody get ready, this is going to make some waves."

_Click_

With a gargantuan bang, every ammo dump in the depot exploded, sending enormous balls of fire into the crimson air. Shock waves blew through the area, throwing the large containers about like rag dolls, crushing everything in their path. Magna-trains were launched from their tracks, their bulky forms tossed about as hundreds of smaller machines twirled into every structure within the depot. The daemon forces were utterly destroyed, most of them being caught within the primary blast radius, the rest leveled by the hurricane of debris and fire. It was all over in a matter of seconds, the once organized supply area reduced to a pile of flaming ruins, black smoke rising as the fires consumed everything.

Mulch whistled loudly, enjoying the fireworks. "Hah! Eat it you ugly troll turds!"

Ivankov brought up his communicator again. "Butler, we're all clear. We'll meet you at the rendez-vous."

"_Roger that." _The bodyguard called back. _"Holly is making her move now."_

Borislav nodded, waving to Mulch as he began to jog towards the gate. As the two of them passed through the destruction, the sound of gunship engines began to rise from the other side of the depot.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Supply Depot - Thirty Seconds Earlier  
**

Holly observed the gunship as she approached it, her weapon ready as she closed in on the tarmac. There were virtually no hostiles in the area, all of them having followed their diversion and subsequently been blown up. Nonetheless, the elf was careful, all too aware of the surprises that battlefields held.

When she reached the deadly craft, Holly ran her hands over the surface by the cockpit, searching for the opening console. Sure enough, she found it, its dark screen coming to life as she tapped it lightly. To her surprise there was no password or identification, only the access command. Obviously they weren't designed with the intent to block intruders, most likely because the enemy believed that such was trivial and impossible. They were about to regret that.

Holly opened the canopy, jumping in easily once it did. After she set her rifle down by the seat, the elf observed the controls, finding them to be very similar to the kind she'd find in an LEP fighter, the older models that had been designed by Opal. She wondered about it for a moment, but quickly pushed the speculation from her mind. She had a job to do.

With a grin, Holly brought the craft online, hearing the horrid engines roar to life as she ran through the start-up procedures, making sure that the ship was able to fly. After a few seconds, she lifted the gunship off the tarmac, quickly getting a feel for the foreign ship. It took her one second, but she got the hang of it.

Looking through the canopy, the elf took in the entirety of the ruin that had just been unleashed upon the depot, noting the lack of hostile presence with a grin.

"_Holly." _Butler called over the comm link. _"We've neutralized the defending units, closing in on the gates now."_

Holly aimed the ship towards the open area that was between the dilapidated complex and the blast doors, sending the gunship screaming through the air as she sought out any enemy threats. After a moment of searching, the elf caught sight of a group of tanks entering from an adjacent tunnel, seeking out the intruders with dreadful force.

_Good, they left some for me. _Holly thought as she flew towards the armored units, targeting all of them with the gunship's weapons. She'd only been on the receiving end of such a ship thus far, now she was happy to see how it did from the other side.

With a war cry the elf pressed the fire commands, the ship shaking as it spat out immense amounts of destruction. The stone around the tanks was torn up as heavy rounds blasted into it, accompanied by dozens of rapid fire missiles. The armored vehicles tried to return fire, but were cut apart before they could even aim their cannons.

Holly brought the ship into a steep climb, observing the whole chamber from her craft. All was clear.

On the ground, she could make out the three figures of her comrades as they sprinted to the gates unchallenged.

Relief and anticipation filled Holly's mind. They were getting close to finding Artemis, and the individual behind the conflict. She secretly wished that it wasn't Koboi, but yet again her gut told her otherwise, making her eyes narrow as she thought of the villainous pixie. _Hold on Artemis, we're coming!_

**Koboi's Headquarters – Command Room**

The room was alight with crimson glow, every surface cast in red. Numerous consoles and monitors filled the room, displaying every detail about the facility and the conflict beyond. Opal Koboi seethed as she watched her entire distribution depot go up in flames, the explosion so large that she felt it even deep within the confines of her base. She noticed one of her gunships taking off, and upon zooming in on it, noticed a certain LEP captain piloting it.

"Short!" She yelled, sending her fist into the screen, crushing the image of Holly's face with pure vituperation. The enraged pixie gingerly removed her fist, dark tendrils of magic forming in the air. She was angry, so very angry! Rage poured from her heart into every facet of her being, making the ground around her crack as the air congealed into pure dark magic. But as quickly as the temper came, it vanished.

Opal regarded the surveillance feeds as Holly tore apart several of her tanks in the usual fly-boy fashion. By the gods she hated that elf!

With a cold gaze she stared, as though looking into the very soul of her enemy. "Good job getting this far Short, but you will not make it through the day."

She punched in several codes on her communicator, her visage serious and composed, showing no signs of anger or distress. She was in control.

"I'll leave you to the dreadnaughts, you grandstanding fool!" Opal stated casually, grinning slightly.

She then turned towards the exit of the room, smiling evilly. "Now to wake our guest, I'm sure he'd love to watch his friends die."

The nefarious being stepped from the room, turning down the hall as she laughed to herself, now genuinely glad that Artemis' friends had shown up; she had been bored.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Main Entrance**

As Holly's gunship hovered overhead, Butler, Borislav and Mulch stood by the blast door, observing the imposing barrier which loomed over them.

Butler tapped his fingers on his rifle, glaring at the doorway. "How exactly are we going to get through this?" He growled.

Mulch stroked his beard. "There's no external mechanism, its all interior. Unless we either pry it open or blast a hole in it, there's not much we can do but find another way in."

Holly cut in on the comm link. _"There's no way I can breach that barrier, not with this ship. We'll have to find an alternate route."_

Ivankov glared at the door. "I guess you're right, though this makes things needlessly difficult."

Mulch crossed his arms, his head tilted as the regarded the blast door. "Maybe we should tell it to open." He joked, grinning at his horrible humor. The dwarf raised his hands, waving to the motionless alloy walls as he bellowed humorously. "Open sesame!"

Just as the words left Mulch's mouth, the massive gate shook slightly, followed by a deep rumbling sound. The doors were opening.

Mulch turned to the others, hiding his surprise. "That was all me fellas!" He said pompously, a wide grin on his face.

Nobody even registered what he said, instead they stared with shock at the opening door, their faces betraying utter surprise.

"What?" Mulch said, unhappy with being ignored. The dwarf followed their gaze, turning around to face the maw that was open before them, becoming aware of a great rumbling noise in the air, one that made Holly's gunship sound like a puny fly.

Mulch's eyes widened, his jaw almost hitting the ground (which was actually within the dwarf's abilities). "Oh shit."

Hovering within the massive tunnel that ran from the opening of the gate were three enormous ships, their colossal forms filling the space completely, the overhead lights casting dreadful shadows of the already terrifying machines. They were easily twenty times the size of a daemon gunship, with even greater times the weaponry. Each of the three ships were fitted with massive missile pods, each carrying hundreds of projectiles, as well as numerous other rocket launchers visible all over its design. Two dozen forward facing auto-cannons jutted from the fronts of the ships, along with ten automated point defense turrets. They were virtually flying fortresses, easily with enough firepower each to flatten ten city blocks in moments. As the goliaths sized them up, all the three beings on the ground could do was run.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Confinement Sector**

The shrill noise of wind passing under the door echoed around the small cell, becoming a flurry of hellish screams that demanded attention. The air was cold and damp, the stone surfaces slick with moisture and decaying matter. Artemis sat perfectly still in the middle, his eyes closed, his legs crossed. In his meditative state he could tune out anything. It was easy really, for him at least, having mastered every meditative technique at a young age, finding it very useful for contriving as well as ignoring unpleasant things, like the horrid environment in which he currently sat.

As the prodigy channeled his feelings and emotions with expert efficiency, becoming entirely calm and at peace, he could feel the magic at the back of his consciousness, glowing hot with its powerful energy. It had been a while since he'd felt the presence of magic within his own being, the feeling new to him again as it flowed within his body, a small but raw presence. Despite his ability to do almost anything, he could never get used to the sensation that magic created.

As he continued his meditative practice, the sound of footsteps rose faintly from outside the door, getting louder and louder until stopping right by his cell. Artemis let his equilibrium fade as he focused on the unknown being outside his prison, hoping silently that it was Butler, or Holly or even Mulch.

His hopes were shattered when glowing dark tendrils swung the door open, revealing Opal Koboi, who looked at him as a wolf does its prey. She stood there for a moment, seeming to enjoy the sight of the boy's dismal condition, the filth, the decay, the shivering of his body as it begged for sustenance. A terrifying grin cut across her hateful visage, one that meant harm, not joy.

"You look so...appropriate in such a state, mud boy. It is your meaning in life to wallow in filth and deprivation! Tell me, do you enjoy your accommodations?"

Artemis looked at her through half lidded eyes, purposefully looking weaker, trying to attain any possible edge over the pixie. He spoke softly, "Have you simply come here to gloat, Opal? That is so very conventional."

Koboi twitched at the boy's jab, her grin drooping slightly, but otherwise remaining unchanged. She quietly stepped into the cell, standing a foot from the boy as she tilted her head, considering something. As Artemis looked into her face with defiance, he could see dreadful hatred cross her calm features, flashes of anger and violent intent held just at bay.

"I was just considering crushing your thick skull to a pulp, but that would not do so well for my plans." Opal stated matter-of-factly, a sneer crossing her face. "And no, I have not come to gloat."

She grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him up with ease as she stared into his eyes. She chuckled venomously before throwing Artemis from the cell, sending him flying into the wall outside. He slumped to the cold floor, his breath knocked from his lungs, his chest aching from the impact. Opal walked casually up to him, two daemon guards flanking her. As the monsters hauled him up, the pixie watched gleefully.

"It would appear that you have visitors, Fowl." She said dangerously. "I wouldn't dare let you miss the chance to welcome them, followed by watching their slow and agonizing deaths of course."

She turned on her heel, stalking down the hall. The two daemons dragged Artemis along, his worn dress shoes dragging against the jagged floor. Part of him leaped for joy at the arrival of his friends. Another part cried with agony for the very same reason, for the fear that they would perish. As the boy was pulled carelessly through the dark passageway, he fought against himself, trying to be optimistic about the situation. No matter how hard he tried, he felt he sharp edges of doubt tearing into his confidence, rending his resolve apart. His friends had come for him. They were fighting to save him, but could they save themselves?

**Koboi's Headquarters – Main Entrance**

Holly stared at the dreadnaughts for only a second, assessing the capabilities as she prepared to take evasive action. As the massive hulks began to move forward, Holly yelled over the comm link to her friends below. "Run for cover! I'll take care of them!"

"_Already on it Holly!" _Butler bellowed in return. _"But you can't simply take care of them! They've got you completely outmatched!"_

Holly bit her lip as she readied herself. "Don't worry Butler, I can do this."

The LEP officer swung the gunship to the right, blasting out of the way of the charging squadron. The three dreadnaughts tracked her movement, unleashing a flurry of missiles and cannon rounds, creating a virtual wall of fire that careened towards the elf. Holly saw it coming, throwing the ship into overdrive as she raced the deadly missiles. She couldn't ram the projectiles into their masters, their point defense turrets would tear her apart. Instead, she opted for a different approach.

Holly spun the ship sharply, turning towards the burning remains of the depot, which were hot with towering walls of hungry flame. Taking the gunship into a dive, the elf flew headlong into the fire, her ship disappearing into the storm of hot crimson, as though she were flying through the gates of hell. The missiles followed, one hundred strong, into the fire, heedless of the scorching destruction that was ahead. Holly swung her craft about, avoiding explosions that came from the still intact munitions below, grinding her teeth as the cockpit heated up increasingly, sweat dripping from her brow. Behind her, the heavy missiles were closing in, though that was about to change. The explosions that were blasting into the air knocked out dozens of the projectiles, sending them tumbling to the burning ground below, creating even larger explosions that hit even more of them. The few that remained simply overheated, igniting in glorious bursts of destruction.

Holly pulled up, taking the steaming gunship out of the flames. She had to admit, the ship was very durable. As she cleared the fire, launching into the clear air above, Holly was met instantly by the daemon dreadnaughts, their immense arsenals lighting up as they sought to destroy the hijacked fighter. Te elf took evasive maneuvers, avoiding many of the high velocity rounds that were being thrown at her, but not all of them. With sharp thuds, her ship was penetrated by several 20mm projectiles, the point defense guns on the enemy ships tracking her craft with ease. The gunship shuddered, the displays flashing red as its systems were torn apart. Holly growled angrily as she tried to keep the ship from losing control, flying away from the daemon aircraft as fast as she could.

She was running out of options. If she tried to face them again, she would be ripped to shreds. No amount of maneuvering could avoid the clouds of missiles and streams of precise cannon rounds that the dreadnaughts dished out, not even hers. _I need a bigger ship._ Holly thought as she weaved between from rock formations, dodging the relentless firepower that was being unleashed upon her.

The thought lingered in her mind for a moment before forming into an idea. An adrenaline fueled grin formed on her face, her previous dismay gone as she considered the possibility of the idea, the sheer craziness of it making it even more attractive. She went with it.

Holly pushed the gunship into a sharp turn, spinning it about almost instantly to face the approaching dreadnaughts, which were closing in with startling speed. The elf then threw the ship's engines into overdrive, sending the smoking fighter barreling towards the pursuing aircraft. The daemon ships began to fire right away, sending missiles and bullets flying into her ship. Holly pushed the fighter so fast that it surpassed most of the incoming ordnance, outrunning their tracking capabilities. Even as cannon rounds hit the ship, tearing entire sections off, the elf kept going, praying for it to work. As she reached the range of their point defense turrets, Holly let go of the controls, her ship now focused right above the middle dreadnaught. Just as they were about to fire, she blasted off the canopy, sending it flying away. With a roar she jumped from the still moving gunship, flying at high speeds right towards the lead ship. The dreadnaughts paid no attention to her, instead they turned around as they tracked the empty gunship. As Holly neared the top of the closest aircraft, the three ships opened fire, rending the daemon gunship to smithereens.

Holly flew through the air, covering her head as she crashed into the hovering gunship, landing on its surface with a crunch. Despite her perfect landing, her legs had been slightly fractured. As she lay on the ship, blue magic covered her limbs, repairing he damage almost instantly. She tested her legs and, finding them satisfactory, began to crawl towards the closed hatch atop the craft. Upon reaching it, the elf took out her neutrino, setting it to maximum as she pointed it to the latch. With a flash of energy, the top hatch melted, leaving a dark opening into the ship's interior. Holly didn't hesitate, knowing that the three ships were now hunting the others. She had little time.

She let herself fall into the ship, landing quietly amidst the gloomy interior, right beside a daemon soldier. The monster raised its weapon, taken off guard by the elf, the assault rifle ready to fire. Holly stopped it instantly, elbowing the daemon in the neck and following up with a shot from her gun. As the body hit the floor, she walked briskly towards the front of the ship. As she passed through, no other hostiles appeared, no doubt all in the command room.

When she reached the door the led into the control room, Holly pulled out her second neutrino, now holding one in each hand. With a cry she burst into the room, an angel of death, her two pistols blazing as they operated at their maximum rate of fire. The daemon crew never knew what hit them, most of them didn't so much as leave their seats, let alone fire back. In a matter of two seconds all ten of the occupants were dead, the elf now alone in the room, which was tilting as the craft began to lose control. With desperate speed, Holly raced to the main command console, sitting down in the pilot seat, grabbing the controls as she pulled the large ship out of its dive. After a few stressful seconds she regained control, leveling out the dreadnaught. She was itching to use it.

On the ground below, Butler, Mulch and Ivankov fired at the ships, now trapped in a corner by the monstrosities. They'd seen Holly's ship get destroyed, but didn't let it ruin them. They had to fight, to the end. As the large ships began to warm up their guns again, they noticed that the middle one was a bit...off. As the other two prepared to fire, the middle one turned to the right, bringing itself to face one of its comrades. With a flurry of firepower, the dreadnaught lit up the other one, cutting it apart in seconds. The other, cluing into what was going on, began to take action, but not before the rogue ship could make its move. Using its point defense guns, the large ship fired into the other one's control room, utterly disintegrating the crew. As the mysterious dreadnaught hovered above them, the out of control ship crashed to the floor, sliding along the stone before bursting into flames.

Holly's voice came in on the comm link, filled with satisfaction. _"You guys alright?"_

Butler grinned. "You never cease to amaze me Holly."

The elf laughed over the link, sounding like she was having too much fun. _"It's what I do." _

The burning wreckage of the crashed dreadnaught suddenly exploded, its ordnance overheating due to the hungry flames. As its numerous parts flew through the air, two humans, an elf and a dwarf looked to the now open blast door, its great hall stretching for an immeasurable distance. Holly glared into the open passageway, knowing what waited inside, mixed feelings of hope and dread entering her mind. It was the moment they had all been waiting for, the moment where they would rescue Artemis and destroy those responsible.

"Let's do this." Borislav growled.

"For Artemis." Butler rumbled.

Together, the four of them entered the facility, three on the ground, the other in the air. Things were about to get hectic, and then some.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Throne Room**

Crimson light seeped through Artemis' closed eyes, its dreadful tone refusing to be ignored. There was the ominous sound of distant rumbling, a foreboding presence filling the room. After a moment of putting himself into a coherent state, Artemis opened his eyes, his weakness fighting to keep them closed. He had almost no memory of the trip from his cell to where he was now, only brief flashes of being dragged through malevolent halls coming to him. He had lost consciousness several times along the way, the force of Opal's throw still messing with his physical equilibrium, his head aching from a small concussion. Nonetheless, he was alive, and was now fully aware of his surroundings.

As his eyes opened, he began to take in the shape of a familiar room, the ground far below from atop a large platform. He was in the same place as before, Koboi's over elaborate throne room. The boy sighed as he sat up, feeling the unwelcome sting of chains binding him to the cold stone surface, making movement extremely difficult. Whilst he put himself into a more comfortable position, he became aware of the dark presence behind him, raw dread tingling up his spine. There, on a newly placed throne, sat Opal Koboi, a maniacally pleased demeanor dominating her features.

"I see you finally woke up." She said condescendingly. "You simply cease to amaze me with your weak and feeble existence, it's truly disgusting."

Artemis did his best not to show any reaction, keeping his mouth shut, as words were meaningless when Koboi was involved. He just needed to hold on a little bit longer, then he and his friends could put an end to it all, together.

Opal was rather displeased with the human's lack of a response or smart retort, drumming her fingers on the armrest of the seat. Her predatory eyes studied him carefully, a grin forming on her face. "I see. You are holding onto the lackluster hope that your foolish friends will save you. How pathetic!"

She stepped from the throne, grabbing Artemis by the neck, twisting his head to face hers. She regarded him with pure malice. "Such hope is so overrated kid. There are but four of your allies against me and a limitless army! They have come with the sole purpose of liberating you, but they have subsequently run headlong into a merciless bloodbath, one that I will make you watch!" She let him go, smiling with satisfaction. How she enjoyed demeaning that mud boy's expectations, trampling on their delicate forms like boots upon a flower.

As Artemis kept to himself, his demeanor confident despite everything, Opal turned her attention to the data pad on her throne. She had sent a squadron of dreadnaughts to deal with the intruders, but she knew that there was a high possibility of them defeating her ships. In fact, she was glad to know that they were still coming, closer and closer to her. She didn't want them to die in some distant location, she desired for their disembowelment to occur right when they thought they would accomplish their goal, when they are but within an arm's length of saving their precious genius. It would be so gratifying to watch Artemis' reaction, and to savor the demise of those impudent fools, a delicious taste that her nefarious soul would consume gleefully.

She checked the senors throughout that main entrance of her facility, attempting to verify the enemy's strength and assets, but came up with nothing.

_Dammit! _She thought. _They've destroyed my sensors, as well as all forward patrols..._She growled quietly, then quickly composed herself once more. _No matter, they will arrive here either way. With my forces leaving a path of least resistance, this room will be their final destination. When they get here, they will die._

Opal focused on Artemis once more, who was looking to the closed entrance, waiting. She couldn't stand his optimism! It made her ache with deadly desires, mostly pertaining to the complete annihilation of the vexing mud boy.

An alert sounded on her communicator, the proximity sensors having just been tripped. _Finally! _

Artemis recognized what the alert meant, a slight grin tugging at his composed features. Opal laughed at him. "You really think they will succeed don't you? How pathetic!"

Koboi pressed a button on her device, eliciting the response of all the doors in the room, save the one from which she knew the enemy was coming. From their dark recesses came a stream of daemon soldiers, their impressively dreadful forms organizing into precise positions around the elevated throne. Two dozen tanks entered the chamber next, forming a semi circle around the closed entrance, their heavy guns zeroing in on the silent alloy doors. Opal smiled as she observed her units collectively face the gate, the distinct sound of hundreds of firearms being loaded echoing through the air, the noise of their deadly mechanisms forming a symphony of doom as the daemons cocked their weapons at the same time. All together, there were exactly one thousand daemons in the chamber, all of them ready to fire upon whatever came through the door.

"You see, Fowl, no matter how hard they try, no matter how many of my pawns they kill, they will always be outmatched!" Opal stated with pleasure, her crimson eyes filling with the anticipation of death and despair.

Artemis regarded the colossal force that had filled the chamber, his mind calculating the odds instantly. For four individuals to take on one thousand heavily armed infantry plus two dozen heavy tanks would be impossible. But then again, his comrades were anything but normal. All in all, the genius still believed that they would win, regardless of what Opal threw at them. He had unshakable faith in Butler and Holly, whom he knew were amongst the four, and despite the irritating doubts that nipped at his resolve, he was confident that they would triumph.

As Artemis waited quietly, wondering to himself how exactly his friends would pull it off, Opal took a seat, a terrifying grin cutting across her face. It was going to be quite a show, and she had the best seat in the house (the only seat, actually).

There was a distant rumble, followed by a slight tremor in the ground, catching everyone's attention. The daemon forces stood ready, their weapons locked and loaded. They had a perfect tactical advantage, a defensive position, superior numbers and firepower, and a choke point through which the enemy had to pass. It looked like it was going to be a textbook massacre.

Another rumble shook the room, this time much closer than before. Opal raised an eyebrow, wondering what the source of the explosions was. Surely the intruders weren't causing it, they were but four beings, flesh and blood, with hand held firearms. Koboi observed her sensors, finding again that they had been eliminated. Her visage twisted a bit, into a faint expression of rage. What were they planning? More specifically, what was that foolish elf Short up to?

The rumbling stopped, a deafening silence taking over abruptly as the occupants of the chamber stood at the ready, unmoving as they held their fingers on their triggers. The quiet was unnatural, one that was meant to deceive, to falsely calm before throwing everything into a grinder of chaos. Such was the case now, but nobody knew it.

The massive doorway shook momentarily, followed by the silent movement of the large doors, which began to open slowly, almost at a purposefully dilatory pace.

Opal grinned. "All units, prepare to fire!"

As the entrance unclosed further, smoke twirled through the revealed air, showing nothing amidst its thick clouds. As everyone waited, a shadow crossed the opening, eliciting Opal's blood thirsty response.

"Open fire!" She yelled perniciously.

With a deluge of destruction the daemons attacked, firing their weapons into the open portal without pause. Thousands upon thousands of bullets and laser blasts flew through the doorway, utterly decimating whatever stood in its path. The heavy tanks opened up as well, unleashing their devastating cannon fire into the gloom, the resulting explosions causing for hordes of black smoke to pour into the room, further obscuring the other side. After a solid minute of nonstop bombardment, the daemons halted their assault, a sudden repose taking hold as they reloaded their weapons. Opal was smiling madly. "No one could survive that, boy. I think I'll have you mop up their pieces..."

There was a great explosion, one that dwarfed the bombardment that the defending forces had made, the sound of crumbling stone and hungry flames rising into the air, a dreadful roar. The daemon forces looked up just in time to see an entire section of the cavern wall explode inward, an unseen force blowing the giant chunks of rock into the room. The wall, with a cloud of fire, collapsed towards the forefront of the daemon line, their dooming forms right above the tanks. In a desperate attempt to avoid the debris the armored vehicles reversed, but it was too late. With a deafening crash the tide of stone collided with the daemon forces, crushing the tanks like tin cans, causing their reactors to explode violently as they were ruptured, the resulting fires blasting into the air.

Opal covered her face as the shock wave careened past her, bits of stone and metal flying by her with tremendous speed. Artemis had ducked to the floor, covering his head with his arms as the destruction washed around him. It was a terrifying experience, yet it also bore a tremendous amount of joy, as the genius knew for sure that things were going to be perfect.

Koboi stared at the gaping hole in the chamber wall with complete surprise, such an occurrance not even expected as a distant possibility. _That wall was over a hundred feet thick! _She thought incredulously_ How did they breach it? It's not possible, not unless...shit!_

To answer Opal's realization, a gigantic ship flew through the breached wall, its deadly form taking shape through the smoke as its engines roared gloriously. It was one of Koboi's dreadnaughts, inside of it being the last individual she'd want piloting it: LEP captain Holly Short.

The irritated pixie stood up, addressing her soldiers with an enraged roar. "Fire at will! Take her down!"

The remaining daemons responded instantly, firing their weapons into the air. The small arms fire simply bounced off of the dreadnaught's thick armor, whilst the RPGs and heavy laser blasts only left burn marks. They were powerless against it.

Holly, who was smiling widely whilst she flew the ship, returned the favor. With a storm of fire she unleashed hell, strafing the daemon battalion with her main cannons and point defense guns. She avoided using missiles, knowing that Artemis was on the platform. She didn't want to risk injuring him with the concussive blasts that the high yield missiles created. As the elf decimated hundreds of hostile infantry a second, her mind swam with rage. It was Opal all along! She'd known it was the most likely possibility, but the absolute confirmation still brought pure anger to her heart, the memories of all that the pixie had put them through in the past rushing from the back of her mind, fresh once more. She remembered the evens of the last few years, of the goblin uprising, of the seven wonders. But most of all, she remembered Julius, the closest thing she'd ever had to a father. With enormous amounts of ferocity, the fired up elf screamed with anger and defiance as she cut into the daemon forces, her new found dander making her efforts thrice as effective. It was a massacre alright, for the enemy that is.

As Holly flew around the expansive room, two figures emerged through the smoke on the ground, their taller forms taking shape into Butler and Ivankov, who were looking very serious as their powerful firearms blazed relentlessly. The two humans pushed their way into the chamber, gunning down any of the daemons that were still standing, which was not many. As Butler tossed a handful of grenades into a group of hostiles, he looked to the massive platform ahead, instantly recognizing the figure that was kneeling on the top.

"Artemis." The bodyguard said to himself, his voice filled with relief.

Ivankov stood next to the man, picking off any daemons that dared to fire upon them. As he cut down a charging enemy, he looked to Butler. "Go! I'll cover you!"

Butler nodded, bringing his pulse rifle to bear. As Borislav blasted the daemons to the ground, the bodyguard began running towards the stairs. He kept going faster and faster, his aged but fit limbs carrying his massive body forward at astounding speeds. His eyes were set on the summit of the platform, on the most important person in his life, Artemis. He paid no attention to the passing daemons as he shot them apart, destroying everything in his path by instinct alone, the enemies now meaningless foes that didn't require thought. He reached the bottom of the stairs, smashing three daemons with his rifle, breaking it in half. He didn't care. He vaulted up the steps, his breath even and controlled, his demeanor solid and cold. He went seven steps at a time, his powerful legs launching him towards his goal. Nothing was going to stop him, not even hell itself.

As Holly's dreadnaught flew by, causing for winds to blast by the bodyguard, he reached into his pocket, taking out his Sig Sauer with smooth, practiced ease. He was almost at the top. With one final push the mountainous human flew up the final steps, his heart pumping strongly as he pushed his body as hard as he could. When he crested the platform, he came upon two individuals. One was Artemis, the other an egregiously perturbed looking Opal Koboi. Butler was surprised by her devilish features, but didn't waste time thinking about it. He launched himself forward.

Opal, despite being extremely pissed off, managed a wicked grin. "Why, if it isn't the oversized neanderthal, you're such an idio-"

Butler didn't let her finish, instead shooting her in the face three times in rapid succession. Opal's speech was cut off abruptly as the high caliber bullets tore into her visage, the impact creating a sickening crunch. In a red mist half of her head was blown right off, sending her body flying to the stone floor. She landed with a sickening splat, her corpse twitching violently.

Artemis and Butler watched, one with a shocked gaze, the other with one of pure satisfaction. The bodyguard turned to his charge. "Artemis, I'm so sorry for allowing you to be captured, it was my fault."

The boy smiled. "There's no need to be sorry, old friend. You are here now, and that's all that matters."

Butler quickly smashed the chains holding Artemis down, tossing them aside as he looked him over for any serious injuries. He was malnourished, and had a large bruise on his head, but was otherwise fine. He'd been through much worse in the past. Butler then proceeded to pick up the genius with his massive arms, holding him protectively as the boy gave him a look of complete disapproval. Artemis hated being carried around, but Butler would not allow him to stand, not in his state.

"Come on, let's get you out of here." The man said softly, utterly content now that he had accomplished his goals.

Artemis protested. "Not yet, we still have to free the others."

"What others?" Butler asked as he began to walk to the steps.

"It's a long story, but to surmise, Quan and N°1 are being used to power this facility. I know where they are, we just have to..."

An evil laugh rose from the ground behind them, rasping and dark. The sound got even louder, its terrifying noise filling the room. Butler turned, his eyes falling on the dead form of Opal Koboi, which was unmoving. But that soon changed. The half of her face that still remained formed into an amused grin, her eye shining with red light as she chuckled maniacally. Butler and Artemis stared with shock as the pixie's corpse twitched to life, her hands clenching into fists, trails of crimson and black mist beginning to form around her, the very air congealing into dreadful, blood-like tones.

As they watched in frozen astonishment, Opal sat up, then pulled herself to her feet effortlessly, as though having half of her head torn off was just a scratch. Dark magic raged violently around her face, the missing half slowly forming again. First the bone grew back, then the flesh and muscle, the tissues weaving themselves back together rapidly. Lastly, her missing eye glowed into existence, its dreadful gaze steady upon the two humans. It was something right out of a nightmare.

As the pixie became whole again, she grinned even wider, her eyes murderous and filled with darkness. "You really think that I would die from such a wound? You are such fools!" She laughed, massive tendrils of magic forming around her, crimson mist dancing on her hands. "You can't kill me, I'm already dead!"

Butler had heard enough. With one hand her unloaded his gun into the pixie, using the other to hold Artemis. As the horrid being blocked the bullets, the bodyguard sprinted down the steps, running as fast as he could, knowing that Opal wasn't just an impossible foe for him to beat; she was death itself.

As the two humans flew down the stairs, Opal yelled with an impossible volume. "You're all going to die by my hands! It will tear you foolish mortals apart!"

In her dreadnaught, Holly stared with shock as she watched Opal, who had had her head blown apart, simply shrug off the wound like it was nothing. _Dear gods, what is she? _Holly wondered as she observed the growing tendrils of magic that were forming around her. Butler was currently carrying Artemis to safety, but Opal didn't look like she was going to allow that. _Not good! _

As the two humans cleared the platform, Holly yelled over her comm link. "Everyone, take cover!"

She turned the dreadnaught to face the monster that was Opal, bringing every armament online as she targeted the nefarious being.

"Eat this!" Holly growled, pressing the trigger.

The ship exploded with weapons fire as every gun and cannon went all out along with all remaining missiles and rockets. With a wave of pure firepower the bombardment collided with Opal, who didn't look at all very intimidated; she looked amused. With a gesture the pixie manipulated the crimson mist into a barrier, one that completely surrounded the top of the platform. Thousands of bullets and missiles exploded as they hit the wall, the deadly force stopped completely by the magical shield, which tore the weapons asunder like a wild beast. Holly kept firing, but to no avail. Nonetheless, it bought her friends some time, and that was enough for her.

As the explosions rocked the chamber, Butler ran towards the end of the cavern, Borislav in close pursuit. Both of them knew that they would be useless against Opal, they needed a plan.

As the neared the exit, a loud roar came from the gloom, followed by a bulky vehicle, which flew into the room. It was a rugged transport car that they had passed earlier, its small frame allowing for decent capacity. Inside the vehicle was a happy looking Mulch Diggums, who looked like he was going to have a gas attack once he saw what was going on.

"We need to get out of here!" The dwarf yelled, terrified by Opal's show of power. He looked at the others, noticing the genius. He waved. "Oh, hi Artemis!"

Artemis brushed himself off, his weakness temporarily diluted by adrenaline. "Mr. Diggums, it's nice to see you again, as well as you Commander, but there's no time for pleasantries. We need to escape Opal, but before we do that we need to rescue Quan and N°1. I spoke to Quan whilst I was imprisoned here, he's given me the magic and directions necessary to make it work."

Mulch and Borislav looked perplexed, not aware that the two warlocks were involved. As another massive explosion boomed throughout the room, Butler grabbed Artemis, hoisting him into the car. "I trust your judgment Artemis, so let's get to it."

The bodyguard got into the transport, followed by Ivankov.

"What about Holly?" Artemis yelled above the chaos, his eyes on the dreadnaught as it bombarded Opal with everything it had.

Ivankov brought up his communicator. "Captain! We've got to move!"

Inside the dreadnaught, Holly gritted her teeth, her rage pouring out as she blasted the pixie relentlessly. "I know, just give me a second..."

Suddenly, Holly's ship stopped firing. It was out of ammunition. From the black smoke that filled the air around the platform came a solid beam of dark magic. Before the elf could maneuver her ship, the magic rammed into it, cutting right through its midsection and out the other side. She ship shuddered, losing power as its reactor began to breach. Holly grimaced. The dreadnaught was toast, she needed to lose it and stall Opal at the same time. It didn't take her long to come up with something.

She punched in several commands on the still operational control panel, setting the ship to autopilot. She them aimed it straight for Opal, bringing it to full power.

"Time to go!" She told herself as she ran through the control room, into the flaming halls of the dreadnaught. She could feel it getting closer and closer to the platform, its speed picking up the longer time progressed.

The elf reached the open hatch in a matter of seconds, subsequently jumped to grab hold of the ladder that went up to it. With adrenaline fueled speed, Holly climbed up and out of the ship, emerging onto the roof of the burning machine. She looked towards the platform, seeing that it was only fifty feet away. Opal stood on top, a magical barrier forming again as the craft barreled down on her. Holly had no choice but to jump.

With a deep breath, the elf vaulted off of the crashing dreadnaught, flying through the air before landing halfway down the steps, managing to break her fall considerably. Her arms and legs ached from the impact, but were otherwise functional. As she regained her balance, the dreadnaught collided with Opal Koboi, resulting in a colossal explosion as the massive ship imploded, its reactor overloading. As fire and debris flew past her, Holly ran desperately away, seeking to put as much distance between herself and the monster.

"Holly! Get in!" A voice yelled, followed by the sudden appearance of a light daemon transport car as it burst through the smoke. Everyone was inside, including Artemis.

The boy's eyes lit up when they saw Holly, his good friend. "Holly!"

The elf was overjoyed to see him alive and well, and she too called out to him as she jumped into the craft. "Artemis!" She said happily, hugging the boy tightly. As the vehicle began to speed off, Holly drew back, punching Artemis lightly on the shoulder. "It's good to have you back, I was so worried for you!" She felt happy, but also had a sense of guilt for failing to protect her friend.

"Thanks to you I'm just fine, Holly." Artemis said softly, letting himself relax a bit for the first time in days.

Mulch looked back from the driver's seat, sweat covering his face. "Artemis, mind giving me directions!"

The genius smiled once more to Holly before climbing to the front. As he seated himself beside the dwarf, he yelled above the noise. "Head straight down that passageway, then take the third right, then the sixth left. After that, there should be a maintenance lift!"

"Alright mud boy, just try to hold on!" Mulch grinned.

The transport sped up as it entered one of the tunnels, the sounds of explosions and fire echoing after it. After a brief moment, an angry roar cut through the cacophony of destruction. It was Opal, and she was pissed.

"You vexatious piles of flesh! I will crush you!" She screamed from back in the chamber, her voice utterly enraged.

"Maybe we should speed up!" Butler called from the back as he watched the ever shrinking opening behind them. Suddenly, the entire entryway to the throne room disintegrated, massive tendrils of magic cutting through the dense bedrock as if it was made of butter. The dark magic careened down the passageway, its glowing, dreadful form heading straight for them. Opal stood in mid air, floating along with the deadly magic projections as she pursued her quarry, a rage filled grin now on her face.

"You can't escape me!" She roared. "You can run to the ends of the earth, but you will never be safe!"

Butler and Ivankov took up their guns, firing relentlessly from the back of the transport as it sped through the tunnels, the pulse rounds doing nothing to slow the chasing evil. Holly grabbed Mulch on the shoulder. "Faster!" She yelled, looking back with apprehension as Opal tore the tunnel apart, her magic forming a grotesque beast as it hunted them tirelessly, an unstoppable force.

"You don't need to tell me that!" The scared dwarf said as he pushed the bulky vehicle as fast as he could, smoke now rising from its engine as it overheated.

They blasted around corners, through daemon infantry, through makeshift defenses, anything that was in their way being much more preferable that that which was behind them.

"We're almost to the lift!" Artemis yelled above the entropy, holding onto his seat for dear life.

"What are we going to do once we reach it?" Holly bellowed, firing her rifle into the wall of death that was attempting to consume them. Opal was getting closer.

Artemis placed. There wasn't anything they could do against Opal. Once they arrived at the lift they would be trapped, and Koboi would be right on top of them. Before them, about a kilometer away, was the lift. They were running out of time.

"We're running out of space!" Borislav yelled, now using his beloved hand cannon to try and hinder the powerful force behind them. Bot nothing worked, and soon it was mere feet away.

"Keep going!" Butler rumbled, staring death in the face.

As they sped along, it seemed for a moment that the magical death would devour them in its black and crimson maw. It was so close that they could taste its evil stench, Opal's hateful growls getting near. Artemis grimaced. They weren't going to make it. As doom towered over them, the boy felt a voice in his mind, followed by a pained scream from Opal. The dark magic dissipated instantly, the pixie's form toppling to the stone ground, grabbing her head desperately as she howled with rage.

"_I'm keeping her at bay, but I can only do so for a short period of time!" _Quan yelled through Artemis' subconsciousness. His voice was strained, clearly it was taking everything he had to disrupt Opal's power. _"Go!"_

Artemis nodded to the invisible voice, watching as the writhing figure of Opal faded into the distance.

"What was that!?" Holly exclaimed, relieved but perplexed.

"It's Quan, he's holding Opal back to buy us more time!" Artemis yelled as the wind blew by them, howling loudly. They had arrived at their destination, the vehicle skidding to a stop onto the lift.

Mulch sagged back in his seat, wiping his brow as he sighed loudly. "Whew, that was too close." He breathed.

"Indeed." Butler rumbled as he stepped out of the transport, approaching the control interface. It had over fifty levels on it. The bodyguard yelled over his shoulder.

"Artemis, which level are they on?"

The boy responded immediately. "The bottom, level 50. That's where the reactors are located."

Mulch whistled. "Uh oh, reactors. You know how those are." He motioned with his hands, imitating an explosion.

Butler pressed the control, eliciting a sharp beep from the console. The lift shook suddenly as it came to life, then proceeded to lower itself at a relatively quick pace. As they went deeper and deeper into the massive facility, level after level flashed by, each filled with unpleasant things.

After the fifth level the elevator opened up into a massive chamber, the sounds of manufacturing muffled by the glass barrier, but still considerably loud. It was truly a horrendous sight, the size and depth of the cavern mind boggling. Within it were elaborate assembly lines, each filled with weapons and vehicles, which were being hauled off into a separate chamber upon their completion. Nobody spoke, instead each of them took in the colossal scale of production that Opal was accomplishing, astonished by the scene before them. As they watched, the scene was suddenly cut off by the ground below, the lift now descending even deeper into the earth.

After another twenty seconds of silent descent, the lift slowed to a standstill, becoming deathly silent before an imposing blast door. The alloy portal, upon their arrival, automatically opened, its mechanism sliding the metal barriers aside without a sound.

As the lift's occupants sat within the transport, weapons ready, a gargantuan space became visible before them, waves of heat pouring in from the area along with a ubiquitous humming sound. The room was awash with a mix of blue and crimson light, not a single area of it in shadow as the activity within illuminated everything. The large, circular chamber was dominated by six massive cylindrical devices, which rose from the depths below high to the ceiling above. They were clearly a means of energy generation and transfer, their metallic surfaces glowing with what appeared to be magic, the numerous output lines that left each of them humming with power.

The six devices were arranged in a circle around the outside of the room, placed perfectly around another contraption in the center, one that was even more lit up by blue light. The middle device was complex in design, from is running multiple cables and bus sized transfer lines, from which poured immense amounts of pure magic, the blue energy rushing through the machine from someplace below, no doubt the source of the power.

Along the entire expanse of the room, from the elevator to the center spire, was a wide walkway. It looked stable enough for travel, and seemed to emanate an invisible barrier that shielded its occupants from the extreme levels of energy around it. At its far end was another door, built into the side of the middle tower.

Artemis looked at the distant door, knowing that it was where the two warlocks were being held.

He motioned to the others. "Quan and N°1 should be in there. We have to hurry, as there's a finite amount of time before Opal regains control, and when she does, we're all dead." The last part sounded a bit negative, but it was also a simple fact. Koboi was far more powerful than she'd been before, and far less prone to making idiotic mistakes. If she had the chance, she'd end them all without hesitation.

Butler stepped from the vehicle, along with Holly and Ivankov. "We'll cover you Artemis." The bodyguard rumbled.

The three soldiers fanned out, vigilant for any movement. The activity in the room hindered their senses, but it was still apparent that the chamber was empty, a stroke of pure luck.

As Mulch stayed with the transport, opting to consume whatever forms of nourishment that were contained within his beard, the other four moved swiftly across the walkway, Butler staying close to Artemis, who was getting weak again. All around them, pure magical energy swirled through the air, the invisible barrier holding it back as they passed through the sea of power. It didn't take them long to reach the center spire, which was now looming above them, its glowing form pulsing steadily.

Whilst the others studied their surroundings, Artemis went up to the control panel. It was password protected, but the boy wasn't one to obey the rules. In a matter of seconds he managed to override the security measures, the door responding by sliding open, allowing them access to the space within.

"This is it." Artemis stated, walking purposefully, though unsteadily, into the noisy room. It was the same place he had seen before, when Opal had shown him, its technological convolution impossible to forget. Hundreds of machines and miles of wire and tubes ran about the space in an organized mess, their advanced forms making an ensemble of different noises. Everything had a blue tint to it, the magic that was in the air sparkling randomly. The genius could feel it, the energy in the saturated air. It didn't harm him, but rather paid no attention, ignoring his presence as it went about its clandestine tasks. In the center of the room were a couple of capsules, in them two of the most powerful warlocks in the world. Artemis hesitated as he felt the air around him, but he knew the task at hand was endemic to their survival, thus no amount of danger mattered.

As he approached the two capsules, Artemis began to feel something in himself, that magic Quan had given him gravitating towards the warlocks. He looked into their clear covers, seeing the two fairies laying in a catatonic state, their bodies glowing a brilliant slew of colors as a sea of magic poured through them. The boy had never done something like this, but he was able to create a solid hypothesis as to how he should go about it.

Artemis, feeling the magical link drawing him in, took a seat right by the two capsules, crossing his legs as he took deep, relaxing breaths. He had to be as calm and at peace as possible in order to properly channel the magic, which was easier said than done. The boy sat there, eyes closed, for a minute, his heartbeat slowing as his adamant mind became clear, focusing only on the two warlocks before him. He took his two hands and, reaching with his mind for the magic within him, placed them on each of the capsules.

In a sudden jolt, Artemis felt immeasurable power, it was truly magnificent. His hands, then his whole body tingled as a link formed between him and the warlocks. He took one more deep breath before willing himself into the metaphysical realm, not completely sure if it would work, but confident enough to try without hesitation.

The response was instantaneous, Artemis' mind exploding with light and energy as he felt himself merge into a separate realm, everything magical becoming clear as crystal as he saw the area around him with new eyes. Without a second thought, the prodigy delved into the jumble of magical threads that surrounded the warlocks, now knowing exactly what to do.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Outside Scroll Chamber**

Opal gritted her teeth as she dragged herself through the hall, her magical power thrown into utter chaos as her mind fought against the intruder that was now holding her back. It was Quan, that insufferable warlock, who had ruined her chance to kill her most powerful foes in one blow. She had been so close, within an inch of rending them apart, when her mind exploded with entropy, the magical force of the warlock blocking her flow of power. It was something she never would have predicted, and yet it was happening now. She growled as she felt his consciousness in her own, violating her abilities without discretion.

"Damn you, you imbecilic neophyte! How dare you get in my way!" Opal said with vituperation, her eyes gleaming with anger as she dragged herself along the floor, her strength failing her as she struggled to fight the warlock.

"_I believe that you are the one who's a neophyte." _Quan retorted, his voice strained but wise. _"I have been on this earth for thousands of years, I have more knowledge and wisdom than you could ever attain!"_

Opal seethed. "What is wisdom when I have this power? Wisdom is just a meaningless state of mind for the senile! I have power that outshines yours like a sun against a light bulb! You are nothing!"

"_Am I?" _Quan said softly. _"To me, you are but a child and a vulnerable being who lives under the impression that everything is entitled to you. Deep down inside, there is a broken creature that has never had that which she truly desired, one that only knows how to give pain and suffering, for it is unable to feel anything else. Tell me, what turned the bright child that you were so many years ago into such a horrible thing?"_

"Shut up!" Opal screamed, clawing at her skull, desperate for the voice to leave her mind. "You know nothing about me!"

"_I know more than you think." _Quan said.

Opal growled defiantly, beyond angry, her fingers digging into the solid stone floor, crushing it with dark emotion as she squirmed with agony. She could not let this warlock stop her, not when everything was going just as planned! As she combated the magical presence in her mind, squads of daemon soldiers ran in the direction of the lift, weapons armed.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Reactor Chamber**

Gunshots echoed throughout the vast room, tracers and laser blasts flying through the air. In the elevator entrance, dozens of daemons rappelled to the bottom level, their armored forms landing on the vacant transport, crushing its surface mercilessly. Whilst Artemis was working inside the main structure, everyone else had fallen under fire by a relentless horde of hostiles, who were heedless of death as they tried to overthrow the defenders. Mulch had booked it from the vehicle the moment he heard them coming, and was now hiding behind the imposing form of Butler, the bodyguard firing skillfully into the choke point from which the daemons had to advance. Holly and Borislav were situated around the space as well, unloading a relentless volume of fire into the attackers. They had little to no cover being on the walkway, but as long as they kept the enemy pinned down, they would be fine.

"You think Artemis could hurry up little, being in gunfights is not my forté." Mulch yelled above the cacophony of weapons.

Butler blasted several daemons as they landed in the lift. "Don't worry, he'll come through in no time."

Mulch frowned. "I hope so, my beard's going crazy with all these troll droppings hitting the fan."

Inside the main spire, Artemis sat quietly, his mind somewhere else. He could see the magical signatures that were the two warlocks, ever struggling against their bonds, which were extremely intricate. Quan had said they needed a push, a nudge in the right direction, and Artemis knew that he only had enough magic to do it once. He needed to find the chink within the design of the magical weaves, a single point that would result in such a loss of stability that it would allow for the warlocks to break free. Such was a daunting task, the sheer complexity of it unlike anything Artemis had ever seen. It was like a skillfully woven garment, seemingly perfect in its design, a product of flawless craftsmanship. It could take one days to even grasp it, but the boy only had minutes. He delved into its structure, his mind calculating every pattern and junction, searching for the most vulnerable link. There were so many that could be the one he was looking for, but only one of them was the real deal.

Artemis put all of his concentration, all of his intellect, towards unwinding the magnificent design that he now faced, its form so utterly perfect that it seemed as though it had no flaws at all. But there was, and he had to find it before it was too late.

"_Hurry Artemis! I'm losing control!" _Quan grunted tiredly from the magical twilight.

Artemis doubled his efforts, tripled them, pushed them as far as he could. Where was it? Where was the Achilles heal in this grand design?

"_You can do it, Artemis. Only you can put an end to this." _Quan said reassuringly, his confidence in the prodigy apparent in his tired voice as it echoed through the clouds of ethereal energy.

Artemis strained his energy. _It's close, so very close! _He thought, the answer just beyond his vision. But it was there, and now he fought towards it.

With one final push, the boy broke through the illusions and barriers that guarded the weak link, the impenetrable web's fatal flaw now laid bare before him. _There you are! _With a surge of magic, Artemis snapped the cluster of magical weaves, their solid forms crumbling as they blew apart. The fall of the first set of weaves was followed by another, and another, the magical bonds now being torn apart by the warlocks, who were now gaining control.

The metaphysical realm around him exploded with energy as the warlocks tore free of their prison, destroying Opal's bonds with ease as its intricate design collapsed altogether. In a blinding flash of light, Artemis was blown from the magical space, his consciousness being thrown back into his physical body by the force that pushed him out.

As Artemis' vision returned, he became aware of the previously unmoving forms of the warlocks now twitching violently as they regained their control, the air now crackling with magic. The machinery around the room began to beep warningly, their systems overheating or blowing out completely, showers of sparks flying about as sirens began to go off.

_Best not to stick around. _Artemis thought as he stood up, his legs stiff from sitting, and weak from hunger. But the chaos around him was sufficient to make him run like a man possessed, knowing all too well what could happen if he stayed within the epicenter of the magical whirlwind. As the room literally began to explode, Artemis flew out of the door, throwing himself to the walkway as the entropy behind him began to reach a climax.

"Everyone, get down!" He yelled, his comrades still firing at the daemon units. However, they didn't need persuasion given the terrifying mess behind them.

Just as everyone ducked for cover, the entire center spire went up in a colossal blue flame, pure magic pouring from it as its structure fell apart, the sound of bending metal shrieking through the air. As more daemons landed within the lift, a large chuck of metal was thrown into the entrance, crushing the attackers and blocking their entry point. Once the spire had almost fully collapsed, the area in its place became a cloud of protective magic, its barrier blocking the falling debris. After a long few minutes, the chaos came to a halt, leaving the room in a state of frozen shock. There, in the magical bubble, were the two warlocks, alive and well. The two beings gingerly stepped from the barrier, emerging onto the walkway as the others began to stand up.

Artemis met them with a professional grin. "Quan, N°1, how excellent to see you two within the realm of the living."

Quan smiled, though he was still slightly disoriented from the whole thing. "Thanks to you and your friends. You did well back there Artemis."

N°1, was overjoyed. "Hello Artemis! This is wonderful, extraordinary, stupendous! Being trapped in those capsules was a tremendously unpleasant experience, abhorrent, detestable." The demon imp still had a propensity to explore the numerous words with which one can describe a situation, even though he knew all of them already. It was one of warlock's more adorable tendencies, apart from being an imp.

The others had by now approached the group, all of them looking more or less slipshod by the situation.

Butler nodded to the imp. "Been a long time has it not?"

"Butler!" The imp said excitedly. "And Holly! This is quite a reunion, though the setting could be better..."

Holly grinned. "I like it, mainly because we're bringing Opal to her knees. How you been kiddo?"

The imp grimaced. "Oh, you know, captured, forced to accumulate colossal amounts of magical energy, that sort of egregious thing."

As the friends conversed, Mulch was preoccupied with trying to irritate Quan, who was impeccable in his composure, and Borislav stood on, regarding the whole thing with a sense of bemusement. He had never seen a bunch quite like this, and surely could never have predicted such ridiculously unique individuals all being in the same spot. It was indeed a spectacle of extraordinary beings.

After a short period of time, Quan's demeanor changed from one of pleasantries to one of pure gravity. The warlock cleared his throat, ignoring Mulch's silly remarks.

"Though I am happy to see all of you, we should leave the pleasantries for later. Right now this facility is in extreme danger, mainly because we just cut off its power source, leaving the magical tear in the metaphysical realm unhindered."

Though there was no noise currently, they could hear a rising cacophony from deep below, as well as a growing rumble.

Artemis raised his eyebrow. "So I assume that the only way for the tear to close itself would be through an immense expelling of energy, thereby cutting it off from this realm."

Quan nodded. "Exactly, and with such a force of power this entire chamber will become a magical bomb."

Mulch frowned, not liking the sound of things. "Umm, how big?"

Quan's face got even more serious. "About the equivalent of a fifty megaton thermonuclear bomb."

Everyone went pale at the statement. Mulch almost soiled himself as his face said it all. "Oh shit."

**Koboi's Headquarters – Outside Scroll Chamber  
**

In the oppressing, dark halls, Opal Koboi lay on her back, breathing tiredly as she sought to compose herself. But such was impossible. Only seconds before, Quan had left her mind, his metaphysical form vanishing suddenly, as though pulled from the realm entirely. She knew exactly what that meant. Artemis had somehow set them free from her spells, that blasted human of all beings! Opal seethed anew as she stood up, brushing the detritus from her clothes. She knew all too well the implications of pulling the warlocks from the cycle. It would destroy her entire facility.

"You fools! What have you done!" She screamed, punching the solid wall before her, the stone compacting as her fist cut into it like a hot knife through butter. She screamed violently as she threw her magic at the wall, turning a three hundred meter deep section into dust, all the while causing the air around her to crackle with energy. She withdrew her hand, her crimson eyes gleaming with rage. This was not part of her plan! Sure she had contingencies but it was still a complete disaster!

The enraged pixie started walking at a fast pace, approaching the massive doors that guarded the manuscripts. She put her arms forward, throwing the doors open with immense force, breaking them from the wall. As the alloy barriers crashed to the floor, Opal walked angrily into the large room, her eyes set on the artifacts. She was beyond any consolable level of vexation, her magic trailing around her violently with glowing death as she passed through the magical barrier, reaching for the scroll case.

She knew that the place was lost. The explosion would utterly destroy anything within it, and that meant losing her entire manufacturing sector and immeasurable amounts of irreplaceable resources. She growled as she thought of the impudent gang of vexatious mortals that had managed to ruin her perfect plans, her mind filling again with gore filled visions of their demise. She hated them with an unquenchable hatred, one that would burn forever, even after she eventually killed them. Part of her wanted to find them where they were, within the reactor chamber, and slaughter them. But her more sensible side knew that such was foolish.

She grabbed the artifact, placing it within her robes as her rage began to cool down, her anger twisted face taking on a tense but calmer demeanor. They had two warlocks on their side now, and though their power was nothing compared to hers, they would prove far too difficult to crush given the current circumstances. Besides, the entire place was going to become molten slag in minutes, so those annoying warlocks had no doubt taken action to get their allies out of the facility before it went up in flames. Regardless, Opal knew that she only had one realistic option now, and that was to cut her losses.

Koboi quickly left the room, not bothering to replace the magical defenses; they were pointless now. As she went through the halls, she signaled to her remaining forces on her communicator, informing them to prepare for a tactical withdrawal. Though she had not seen the ruin of her main headquarters as a distinct possibility, she had nonetheless made the necessary preparations should such an incredulous event occur. The best she could hope for now would be for her enemies to fail to escape the facility, but that too was by no means a certainty, and thus she didn't get her hopes up. Those inferior beings were proving much more resilient and powerful than she had predicted, a mistake that she would not make again.

As she approached a massive blast door, hundreds of daemon soldiers ran past her, along with supply laden armored vehicles and transports. The gargantuan door opened smoothly as they reached its imposing form, the barrier opening into a massive cavern, the sounds of hundreds of engines and thousands of footfalls pouring from it. Opal strolled into the chamber, an extremely satisfied look crossing her irritated features as she viewed the fruits of her labor. There was one thing that her foes failed to realize, and that was that she had contingency plans for her contingency plans. She was prepared for anything.

The expansive room stretched for miles, its entire space filled with activity. The chamber stretched off into the distance, opening up into an even larger area, a secretly devised chute. It was the prefect escape route, one that would allow for her forces to move swiftly to their fallback point. The room was packed full with hundreds of aircraft and vehicles, as well as thousands of infantry. Though it was not close to the capacity of her military, it was all that she could manage to save given the time constraint, so it would have to do.

There were approximately one thousand gunships, one hundred dreadnaughts, and plenty of infantry to fill in their crew compartments. But what truly caught her attention was the colossal ship that dominated the area, its dreadful form making the dreadnaughts look like flies. The newly completed battleship stretched one kilometer long, its entire surface covered with hundreds of heavy guns and launchers as well as thousands of point defense turrets. It was very large, so much so that one would wonder if it would be too much so. But it was perfectly fine, as the magma chutes were still much larger than the ship, allowing it to move freely. Even if there wasn't enough space, it could just make some with the gargantuan mining laser on the front of it, its main purpose for the primary phase of her final move, which was still to be revealed.

Opal grinned as she walked up the ship's loading ramps, the cargo space within it being jammed with ordnance and vehicles. She knew that if her main facility was destroyed, she would need an alternate base of operations, one that was mobile and heavily armed. This was the result, and it looked dreadfully beautiful. With it she could avoid the enemy whilst she unlocked the scroll's secrets, using her magic to hide her entire force within their secondary location. When she uncovered the final location of the gate, she would then be able to use the power of her fleet to destroy anything that sought to impede her. In the end, the loss of her main facility would just be collateral, a minor inconvenience.

After a minute of traversing the busy halls within her new flagship, Opal went up a lift, emerging onto the bridge of the powerful ship. The control room was filled with advanced machinery, a large holographic battle-map rising up in the middle. Daemon soldiers occupied various stations within the bridge, operating the systems with great efficiency. The command center spanned a few dozen meters before stopping at a large, heavily fortified window, its thick surface guarded by several invisible energy shields. From her vantage point on the bridge, Opal could see the expanse of the room outside, and the multitude of ships that were lifting off, en route to the secondary staging point.

Opal took a seat on the intricate command chair, expertly pressing various controls and interfaces, bringing the ship online. The deep rumble of the battleship's fusion reactor began to rise as the ship's systems became fully operational, eliciting the powerful roar of its engines.

Opal stared nefariously out the window as the ship's propulsion and anti-gravity systems went to full power, taking the large machine off of the ground. She could feel the energy pulsing from the manuscripts that were in her cloak, grinning a devilish grin as she saw it shimmering in the air. She would interpret its secrets once she escaped, finding the final piece that would complete her puzzle of domination. She hated to lose such colossal amounts of assets in just one blow, but such was the capacity of her foes. Even more so she hated losing that mud boy, Fowl. He had been such a wonderful part of her scheme, and an excellent source of entertainment. Now his allies had him, and thus had his intellect to use against her. She didn't like that, not one bit. However, she had no choice but to factor that into her operations now, as well as the unforeseen abilities of his friends. Indeed, they were strong, but she was stronger. Now was simply a time for retreat, a time to cut losses and live to fight another day. In the end, it mattered little if she lost everything under her command, the power that awaited her far more potent than a billion soldiers. Her grin twisted into an impossibly wide smile, her eyes gleaming crimson as dark magic congealed in the air around her.

"You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over." She said, watching as her ship approached the chute. Around her, hundreds of ships flew in formation, their deadly forms filling the air with a cloud of doom.

Opal laughed, her previous anger forgotten in the face of devilish future planning. For now, she would lay low. When the time was right, she would make her move, and nothing would be able to stop her.

**Koboi's Headquarters – Reactor Chamber**

Explosions echoed around the vast room, the reactors now glowing hot as magic poured from the earth far below. The chamber shook violently, pieces of scaffolding falling from high above, crashing into the void below. Down on the walkway were seven figures, their forms tiny compared to the falling debris.

"We have to go!" Butler bellowed, looking to the lift.

"The lift is damaged, we won't be getting out that way." Borislav yelled, dodging a piece of metal.

Artemis and the two warlocks looked completely calm, not at all afraid of the impending doom around them. Holly grimaced as a large alloy beam destroyed the far end of the walkway, cutting them off from any chance of escape.

"Artemis! You have a plan right?" Holly yelled above the chaos.

The boy smiled. "Naturally." He looked to Quan and N°1. "And it revolves entirely around our magical friends here." His voice was impossibly placid, as though he were observing art in the Louvre.

Quan nodded. "Indeed, escape is a simple matter of teleportation. It's an easy spell, really, especially given that we have an overflowing amount of magic in our bodies at this time. We figured we'd borrow some on our way out of the cycle."

"Then can we get to it! This place is coming down around us!" Holly yelled apprehensively, her worry growing as the rumbling from below got louder.

"Of course." Quan stated, looking to N°1. "Alright apprentice, shall we get started?"

"Affirmative." The demon said excitedly. "Everyone please gather around us, form a circle if you would be so kind."

Everyone did so with haste, the chamber now sagging a bit into the earth below, as though it were slowing sinking into a sea of lava. In a matter of seconds, the group had assembled into a circle around the two warlocks, who now had their eyes closed, concentrating on their spell. With a flash of light, a blue sphere formed around them, encapsulating the seven beings as the walls of the chamber gave out, massive chunks of stone now pouring into the cavern. The reactors were now melting, their liquidating forms emitting a mix of fire and magic, eating away everything in close proximity. The air around the sphere began to crackle with energy as it lifted off the ground, taking the group with it. In a blinding flash of light, they disappeared, leaving the doomed chamber devoid of life. Just as they vanished, a wave of energy surged up from the depths, blowing the entire reactor chamber into dust as it consumed the walls, then everything outside of it. With a glorious explosion everything disappeared in a deluge of fire.


	11. A Brief Respite

**Remote Island - Indian Ocean**

The sun shined brilliantly in the clear blue sky, its endless expanse stretching forever, unassailed by clouds, the waters below shimmering with light as they reflected the colors above. It was calm, almost quiet, the peaceful waves washing rhythmically onto the sandy beach, its complexion white and pure, untainted. A warm breeze blew gently from the sea, passing though the leaves of the few palm trees and indigenous plants that resided upon the small island, their forms swaying gently as the wind weaved between them, kissing the island with its soft touch. High in the air above flew a couple of seagulls, riding the warm updrafts with a natural grace. Everything seemed so free of corruption, the area devoid of any human influence, not a single plane in the air or ship in the water. It was pure seclusion, a pulchritudinous scene of the world as it once was, a world of coexistence between civilization and nature.

As the serenity played on, the faint breeze grew in intensity, becoming a powerful gust. The wind blew the sand into the air, swaying the trees as it whirled around the island like a cyclone. Whilst this occurred, a glimmer of blue light sparkled in the air, followed by an even brighter shining that seemed to move from the earth below. The blue energy spun with the wind, dancing in the air as it formed into a sphere. The shape solidified after a few seconds, within it appearing the shapes of seven figures, five arranged in a circle around two of them, seemingly oblivious to the world beyond.

All of the sudden, the wind stopped, the air becoming silent as the globe glowed brightly. As the island reverted back into a sense of calm, the sphere dissipated, its blue form shimmering away into the air. The figures within, previously frozen like statues, abruptly began to move again, like waking up from a deep sleep. At first they looked around in a daze, disoriented by the process they had just went through, their surroundings foreign and completely unlike the place in which they just were. But it was real, they had traveled from the depths of Koboi's constructed hell to the serene tropical heaven, their opposites utterly striking them. It was like seeing the sun after being below ground for a lifetime, it was beyond beautiful.

Quan, who was the least affected by the magical trip, looked around appreciatively. "Ah, I couldn't have picked a better spot." He said, enjoying the tropical breeze.

N°1 nodded. "Quite so my dear friend, it is truly alluring, ravishing, resplendent!"

The two warlocks smiled as they felt their freedom once more, joyous to be liberated from the degrading existence that Opal had doomed them to. The other individuals, who were suffering from slight nausea and dizziness, finally pulled themselves from their magic induced stupor. Artemis took in the scene around him, his senses thrilled by the tasteful change in scenery. How different the world appeared, how fresh and pure. He knew that it was no different than it had been before things started, that it was merely a psychological response to being isolated in the dark, but he ignored it, allowing himself to enjoy the sense of freedom that it instilled.

As the genius breathed the fresh air, Butler, Holly, Mulch and Ivankov did the same, though the dwarf only did so for the purpose of locating food. The island had no edible plants apart from the coconuts in the sparse trees, which had been thrown into the ocean by their arrival.

Mulch frowned. "I am so hungry right now I could eat a troll," He said to himself.

Holly crossed her arms. "Is that all you can fit within the confines of your thick skull Mulch? Just enjoy the view for once."

The dwarf grinned. "I much more prefer the view of muddy tunnels and open vaults filled with gold. It's an acquired taste."

Holly rolled her eyes before nudging Artemis. "Quite the change of scenery huh?" She said casually.

Artemis smiled. "Indeed." He looked down at his suit, frowning as he noted its damage being far worse than it was in most of their action packed adventures. He brushed himself off, idly observing the island. "Though I do believe that our unsightly attire is clashing detrimentally with the otherwise alluring setting."

Holly grinned. "That's the Artemis I know so well." She punched him on the shoulder.

The boy grimaced slightly, rubbing his arm. "Is that absolutely necessary? I'll need a cast if you keep that up."

The elf laughed. "No way Arty boy. As I said a while ago, it's the only way I can effectively bug you."

Artemis smiled. It was good to be back.

Behind the two friends were the equally bedraggled figures of Butler and Commander Ivankov, who were checking their weapons automatically as they watched the others. Neither of them looked at all like they did before, their gear damaged and covered with filth, as though they had just spend a few weeks in the trenches.

"You did well down there comrade," Borislav said as he checked the action on his large handgun. "You definitely live up to your reputation."

Butler verified the feed path on his Sig Sauer. "Thanks. I can say the same for you." The bodyguard said whilst he dislodged a chunk of stone from the chamber. He quickly finished bringing the firearm into operational condition, placing it back within its concealed holster. "So, how long until extraction?" He rumbled.

The Commander checked his communicator placidly. "I've set a beacon, one of my ships should be here in a few minutes."

The bodyguard nodded, smiling as he watched Artemis enjoy the island as he talked to Holly. Butler could finally relax. He had rescued his friend, the boy now safe from Koboi. Artemis was the most important individual in his life, his greatest friend, and his best ally. Over the many years of protecting him, the boy had become more than a responsibility, he had become like a son. It brought a warmth to his heart to see his charge free once more, basking in the sunlight.

Artemis raised an eyebrow as he stood on the beach, "Maybe I should purchase this island. It would make a lovely place for a vacation."

Holly laughed, "That's what we all need right now, a very long vacation."

The mood was broken by a low rumble in the ground, one that felt as though something massive and malevolent was getting closer to them. The earth shook, the tremors growing in intensity, followed by a muffled thump a few miles away in the distant sea. The far away waters exploded as a cloud of molten rock was blasted from the seabed, fire and smoke rising from the boiling area of ocean. The tremors continued for a few more seconds before fading, leaving everything in silence as the magma created gigantic clouds of steam.

Mulch grinned widely. "Look's like a certain pixie is having a bad day." He chuckled as he watched the steam clouds.

Artemis watched the pillar of steam as it rose into the sky. "Indeed, that was the magical tear closing itself. Opal's entire facility is no doubt destroyed."

Holly spoke seriously, a hard look on her face, "That's another score for us. However, I doubt it was enough to destroy her. I bet she's got a plan, despite the enormous setback."

"Yes, she does." Quan stated wisely, walking up to them. "And she will accomplish it if we don't beat her to it."

"To what exactly?" Artemis asked.

"It's complicated. To surmise, there is an ancient force that is more powerful than any other, one that Opal is actively trying to attain. I will explain it in further dept once we get back to Haven, we will decide our course of action there." Quan said reassuringly.

The peaceful environment was interrupted by the distant sound of engines. A ship was approaching fast.

"There's our extraction." Borislav stated, eying the sky.

In a matter of seconds, the form of an LEP shuttle blasted into view, flanked by two human interceptors. The shuttle slowed to a hover over the island, lowering itself into a clearing in the sparse palm trees, its engines running hot as it touched the earth. From the craft stepped Commander Trouble Kelp, a massive look of relief on his face.

"By the gods you did it," He said proudly, "You managed to rescue Artemis and destroy the source of the attacks simultaneously." The elf had held firm in his confidence in his allies, especially Holly, but he had nevertheless been very worried for them. Having lost so many of his comrades during the battle, the thought of losing any more was unbearable.

Holly saluted the Commander, grinning widely. "All in a day's work Trouble." Her face then took on a serious tone, her voice becoming hard and filled with well restrained anger. "But it's far from over. Opal Koboi was the one behind everything, and she's far more powerful than ever before. We just barely made it out alive with the help of Quan and N°1, though even they say that they are incapable of taking her on."

Kelp's visage became grave as he grimaced at the news. He'd been hoping for anything but that pixie, but it was not to be. His anger towards Koboi was coupled with a prickling sense of dread. With such power as to cheat death, what did she have in store for them now? The implications were horrible no matter which angle he looked at it. He clenched his fists. Just as Julius had faced Koboi all those years ago, so too he would follow the same path. He could only hope that it didn't end the same way.

Commander Kelp returned his attention to Holly. "That's quite the bit of bad news," He stated, "But we will discuss that once we get back to Haven." He motioned to the shuttle behind him. "For now, let's get you guys home."

As the two interceptors hovered overhead, everyone loaded into the LEP ship. A few seconds later, the three aircraft were flying at supersonic speeds towards Ireland, leaving the small island in lonely peace once more.

**Unknown Location**

The dark expanses of the clandestine chute stretched onward for miles, the massive tunnel over three thousand meters in diameter, its reaches shrouded in blackness. Its walls were jagged and unforgiving, the very stone seemingly torn apart to make the passage, as though a gigantic monster had dug through. The gloom was destroyed by the relentless illumination from hundreds of lights, their sources moving through the chute all together in perfect unison. As the lights grew brighter, so did the cacophony of engines, the storm of noise reverberating throughout the area. From the lights emerged a massive form, one that took up a third of the passageway. With squadrons of gunships and dreadnaughts flanking it, Koboi's large battleship passed through the tunnel, scores of lights shining from every side, its imposing form gliding smoothly through the air. It had been a few hours since the destruction of the facility, the fleet having set a course to a secondary staging point. They were about to arrive.

The mass of ships left the confines of the chute, emerging into a large cavern that stretched for miles in every direction. Within it was a plethora of landing areas, supply stations and loading docks, which were being guarded by a small force of daemons, nothing compared to the army that was pouring into the area. As the hundreds of smaller ships began to land in their predetermined zones, the large warship hovered steadily, lowering itself onto a massive docking section designed specifically for the gigantic machine. A series of large clamps grabbed hold of its sides, securing it as the dock's systems stabilized the battleship. Once it was locked into place, the ship's enormous engines powered down, leaving it in a sense of hibernation, a great beast just waiting to be woken again.

Opal sat patiently within the ship's control room, absentmindedly running her hands over the interfaces, bringing the battleship's systems into standby. She didn't need to pay attention to such trivial actions. Instead, her mind was directed towards the greater task at hand, an undertaking that would spell doom for all who opposed her. With a few more manipulations of the controls, Opal completed the standby protocols, leaving just the necessary systems online, the rest being put into temporary shutdown for maintenance and upgrades. Even though the ship had just been completed, there were still some aspects that needed some ironing out, and there was plenty of time for that.

The nefarious pixie casually removed herself from the command chair, her mind still miles away, envisioning events to come as she left the bridge. She wasn't at all worried for the secrecy of her present facility. It had no direct links to any operation zones, the connection to her previous location cut off by the explosion, and even then it was protected by her magic. Her previous headquarters had also been hidden by her powers, however that was moot due to Artemis' friends stumbling upon it. Unlike the last one, the secondary base was impossible to locate, not by any technological, physical or magical means. She was completely secure, free to carry out the next phase without interruption.

She moved swiftly through the halls of the expansive ship, the maze of corridors laid out clearly by her impeccable memory. After several minutes of silent travel, Opal came up on a large set of doors guarded by a magical barrier. With a gesture she removed the shield, opening the doorway into the shadowed room beyond. It was impossibly dark within the chamber, one that seemed as though the air inside was made of a thick black soup, the gloom almost tangible. She paused as she closed the door, leaving her alone within. The room was completely empty, not a single device or object inside, leaving the circular area open, its smooth walls the only presence.

Opal's crimson eyes lit up the chamber, their evil glow casting a sickly tint onto every surface. She grinned with anticipation as she removed the case from her robes, her magic beginning to swirl around once more. The twisted being set the object in the exact center of the room and, without a sound, took a seat next to it. It was so quiet, so perfectly silent. Such was the optimal location to do what needed to be done.

With a gesture, the pixie cast her dark magic upon the case, enveloping the artifact with its dark and crimson tendrils. Opal watched gleefully as the magical guards on the case were undone, opening it carefully as to not damage what was within. As it opened, enormous amounts of magic poured from it, assaulting the very air as it careened throughout the room, the curved walls causing it to spin around in a cyclone of energy. Koboi paid no heed to the growing chaos, her eyes set upon the manuscripts that were now hovering in the air, their ancient forms pulsing with magic. She smiled a wicked smile, her sharp teeth gleaming in the twilight.

_How wonderful a sight! _She thought as the artifacts floated before her, their ancient glyphs alight with magical fire.

Opal made another gesture, this time more dramatic, eliciting a wave of power from herself. The dark magic interacted with the manuscripts, weaving into their own intricate magical design with gentle force, the two powers becoming one. The pixie smiled even wider, her eyes excited and dreadful. It was time.

_Your secrets will no longer remain hidden from me! _She thought. _After all of this effort,_ _I will finally unravel the mysteries you contain. I will, at long last, achieve the final allotment to the greatest power this world has ever known!_

With one final look of dark pleasure, Opal cast herself into the sea of magical pathways before her, every facet of her being now committed to unlocking the one secret that would doom the world.

**Mountain Villa - North of Guillaumes, Southern France  
**

"Novices."

The air was filled with a smokey haze, the smell of gunfire mixing with the gloom as the ubiquitous shadows watched on. The room was rather large, its vaulting ceiling rising several floors high, a rich level of décor placed throughout it. Expensive paintings lined parts of the walls, a variety of other objects mounted on others. There was a large table in the center, a number of expensive seats arranged around it, though they seemed as though they had been thrown about in confusion. Upon the table was a black suitcase, wads of hundred dollar bills spilling from its open form. Around the case were several duffel bags, within them a variety of questionable substances organized into sealed plastic bags. Despite the lovely view of mountains from the large window that dominated half of the room, it was a dismal place.

Strewn about the area were several bodies, each holding firearms that were unfired, their users having failed to pull their triggers in time. Opposite to the fallen men were several shadow cast figures, their bodies hidden partially by the gloom. Each of them wore an expensive tailored suit, their impeccable attire clean despite the mess around them. They held an assortment of automatic weapons, their barrels still smoking from use, the shell casings littering the floor a testament to what had just transpired.

One of the men whistled casually, taking out a Cohiba Esplendido as he put his Steyr TMP onto the table. He walked around the bodies, looking at them with little interest whilst he lit the cigar with a gold plated lighter.

"What a mess." He said with an American accent, the cigar hanging out the corner of his mouth whilst he brushed gunpowder residue off of his leather gloves.

"You guys shouldn't have screwed with me. Now look at yas, all washed up." He said smoothly as he observed the corpses, "All you had to do was take the deal, but you newbies tried to skim a little of the top. Big mistake."

The man absentmindedly kicked one of the bodies, turning his attention to the unlit fireplace that resided beside the table. Upon its mantlepiece were a variety of objects, each looking rather pricy. He placidly looked over them, his eyes stopping on one in particular. The piece was a small, archaic looking dagger, its stone surface aged and rugged, ancient glyphs running along its worn blade. He took a puff from his cigar, grabbing the artifact.

"Jeez, never took you guys for history fans." He said conversationally to the bodies, a heartless grin on his face. "This thing looks old. You know what? I think I'll take it off your hands, it'll look pretty neat on my mantlepiece."

The man pocketed the dagger, taking one more look around before motioning to the others. "Alright gentlemen, grab whatever looks expensive. Once we've stripped this place clean, we'll torch it. That'll send the right message."

As the others began looting the mansion, the man walked up to the window, the smoke from his cigar trailing around his head like a ghostly presence. The view stretched for a great distance, the snow capped mountains running endlessly into the night, the stars high above winking mischievously. He grinned, the glowing hot cigar in the corner of his mouth. "Quite the view. You'll be able to see this place burning for miles."


	12. Old Acquaintances

**Haven City**

The advanced metropolis lay in ruin, its once awe inspiring architecture and design now turned into piles of rubble, the only vestiges remaining of the grand settlement that it used to be. It had been almost two days since the battle for Haven, two days since the city had been saved from the horrors that had engulfed it. But such was not nearly enough time to change it to any remote image of tranquility or calm. All around the expansive city, in every district, were hundreds of maintenance and repair drones. Large machines and dwarf mining crews moved rubble whilst military personal patrolled the land and skies, the security a hundred times more voluminous than that between East and West Germany had been. As the workers and relief efforts carried out all over the region, the few buildings left in usable form, as well as open spaces, were converted into temporary refugee camps, their packed accommodations filled with displaced citizens and injured fairies. But despite the chaos that was all over Haven, it was an organized one, one that was ameliorated by the skill and dedication of LEP and other fairy operatives from all over the world. With such a massive disaster, efforts from almost every fairy settlement under the earth had been sent, as well as a plethora of supplies, making things bearable for the victims.

Outside the city was the Haven Terminal. Its previously war scarred hangars and loading docks had been quickly cleaned up and put into full function, something that was endemic to the city itself. Hundreds of ships, from assault craft and military drop ships to civilian shuttles and transports, filled the hangars as well as the chute beyond, their forms flying to and from the metropolis. On the ground, the small fleet of human transports offloaded supplies while other fairy craft did the same, the steady flow of materials being distributed with precision and efficiency. It was a hopeful scene, one that marked a turning point for the People.

From the upper end of the magma chute flew an LEP shuttle flanked by two interceptors, its speed no doubt catalyzed by the importance of the individuals within. As they approached the terminal, the other ships quickly removed themselves from their path, allowing for the LEP shuttle to pass through without delay, its fighter escorts breaking off as it did. With the chute behind it, the ship entered Haven city through the large blast doors, emerging from the busy hangars into the even more so busy metropolis.

As the shuttle flew over Haven, Artemis Fowl stared wide eyed through the cockpit window, utterly shocked by the state of the city. He didn't say a word, mere oratory an impossible means of conveying his feelings, the sheer level of destruction beyond what he had ever seen. He'd watched as the city had burned from the monitors within Opal's facility, but even that had failed to prepare him for seeing it in person, the ruin that spanned under him seemingly new to his eyes. So much was lost, so much was taken from them, the People, because of one person's hatred. Even though she had failed in winning the battle, Koboi had nonetheless made her enemies pay a heavy price, one of blood and tears.

Artemis continued to regard the scene before him as the shuttle neared the police plaza, slowing down as it came in for a landing. The genius couldn't help but grimace at the once beautiful metropolis, now a grotesque vestige of that which once was. Whilst the ship began to land within the plaza square, Artemis clenched his fists. Opal had to be stopped or else countless more would perish, she had to be destroyed before she destroyed the world, and he would give his own life if need be to accomplish it.

As he stood there with a sad look on his face, Holly watched from the rear compartment, understanding in her eyes and fire in here heart. She knew all to well how Artemis felt, and she also shared his sentiments; she would give anything of herself to stop Koboi once and for all.

The LEP shuttle came to a halt as it met the ground, its landing gear catching it softly as it made contact. As the engines powered down, the occupants of the ship approached the doors, which opened promptly. Commander Trouble Kelp took the lead, motioning for the others to follow.

"Let's get to the command center." He said. "I've mobilized all of our commanding officers as well as important contacts from Atlantis and other settlements. They're all anxious to hear what you have to say, Quan. Hopefully what you've learned from your time in captivity will provide us with enough information to get us a step ahead of Koboi."

"I hope so as well." The warlock stated. "However, Opal is not one to be taken lightly. She's been ten steps ahead of us this whole time, and is no doubt progressing towards her goal at this very moment."

Trouble nodded as they entered the battered station, a solemn look on his face. "Then we must make haste."

The group passed through the busy halls of the police HQ, its expanses packed with officers and supplies. The station had undergone extensive emergency repairs since the ending of the assault, though it still had the ubiquitous smell of stale smoke in the air, and the faint markings of destruction on many surfaces. As they made their way to the command center, they passed numerous field hospitals, their spaces crammed with wounded. Such was greatly ameliorated by the arrival of the Atlantis reinforcements, which had a fully decked medical platoon. Now the injured were being treated quickly and effectively by the new medical warlocks as well as the others that had found the time to recharge their magic levels. Despite everything that had happened, things were starting to look up.

The eight figures reached the doors to the command room after a few minutes of travel through the hectic halls of the building, stopping as they arrived.

"Look sharp everyone, we've got all the top brass in here." Trouble said authoritatively.

With that, the doorway opened, Kelp ushering them all in behind him. The room had been heavily modified over the last few days, replacing the damaged equipment with new ones, as well as organizing a makeshift conference area on one end. It was well lit, the red tinge of emergency lights now absent, replaced by the glow of hundreds of screens and consoles, as well as the repaired lighting overhead. There were dozens of officers monitoring sensors and readouts, staying vigilant against any coming threats. On the far side of the room were several dozen figures conversing amongst each other as they waited around the improvised conference section. Each was at least a Major in their respective fields, as well as highly decorated for their service. Amongst them was General Winters, as well as several commanding officers from the allied forces, though there was a noticeable gap between the human and fairy individuals, the People's stigma still present. Others included Commanders from Atlantis and other settlements, including members of covert divisions within the LEP, such as Section 8. With them, working determinedly at an advanced collection of systems, was the technical genius, Foaly. It appeared as though they had moved his ops booth back into the police plaza, no doubt as per orders from the disgruntled top brass who had been relatively upset with the massive break of regulation. Nonetheless, they had little choice but to wave their fingers at the centaur, knowing all to well that he was far more important than they were. The look on the centaur's face was rather pleased; he'd gotten a raise.

As the group entered the room, everyone's attention switched to them, the chamber falling into silence. They'd all heard of what had transpired, the actions of the new entrants having resulted in the destruction of Opal's main facility. Such a task would have taken hundreds if not thousands of soldiers and countless casualties in order to accomplish by conventional means, and yet these few managed to do so in record time without a single loss. They were, though some grudgingly, very impressed.

Such lack of activity slowly faded as the two groups met each other, the leaders exchanging pleasantries with both their men and there allies, as well as a few shaking of hands. Kelp conferred with his officers whilst Commander Ivankov did the same wit his own, leaving Butler and Artemis to speak with the warlocks, though the genius was rather insecure due to his abysmal attire. _I seriously should have had them stop by the Manor on the way, this suit is in egregious condition, not worthy of a Fowl. _He thought as he looked around the room, noting the rather professional dress code of the rest of the occupants.

Mulch didn't participate of course, instead opting to steal a few items whilst everyone else was distracted. The brief meeting was coupled with Foaly almost squeezing the life out of a rather hug resistant Holly yet again. General Winters stood up, grinning widely at Kelp. "Well I'll be damned, they sure kicked their mongrel hides into oblivion."

"Indeed they did." Trouble nodded. He looked around at the others before speaking aloud. "Alright everyone, let's get this debriefing started. Foaly, the map please."

"Oh, right of course!" The centaur said, letting Holly out of his bear hug. As the others sat down, Foaly went over to his station, bringing up a large map onto the display. The image outlined several locations, including Opal's now ruined base and the magna rails.

"Captain, would you please inform us of the series of events that took place after you were cut off from the main body of our forces." Trouble said , looking to the elf expectantly.

"Yes sir." She said firmly. She began at the beginning, from the tunnel collapse to the supply trains, carefully detailing the events so that it gave the most accurate picture of what occurred. As she went into the parts concerning Opal's facility, many faces went grave, no doubt effected by the sheer power that the pixie now possessed. After a while, Holly reached the end of her account.

"Artemis managed to free Quan and No1 from Opal's magic, allowing them to remove themselves from the reactor system. This subsequently caused for the magical tear to become unstable, resulting in an explosion that both sealed the tear and utterly destroyed Opal's facility. We managed to escape via teleportation, with which we ended up on a small island within the Indian Ocean which we were eventually extracted from. Which brings us to now."

The occupants of the room all thought amongst themselves, no doubt impressed by the actions that resulted in such a victory. Some were skeptic about the whole thing, but were nonetheless proven wrong by the facts that Foaly displayed on the monitors.

Trouble nodded at Short. "Thank you Captain." He looked to Foaly, who took the cue.

"The recount checks out." The centaur stated. "I've run scans on the areas and verified the site of Opal's facility. The explosion caused for a slight shift in the tectonic plates in the region, resulting in several earthquakes in the ocean as well as magma flares, though they were not large enough to cause tsunamis. We've also found and eliminated the magna-rail facility underneath the ruins of the twelve wonders, though the tunnel beyond was already half collapsed."

General Winters spoke up. "I believe I speak for all of us when I ask how Opal Koboi managed what she has. If her powers are as they said they are, and conventional weapons are useless, what will it take to vanquish her?"

Trouble nodded, his face hard at the mention of the nefarious villain. "That, I will leave to Quan. Over the length of his imprisonment, he has been able to learn Opal's plans and how she managed to contrive them." He looked to the warlock, who was seated patiently beside No1 and Artemis.

Quan nodded to Kelp before standing up, looking to the others around him. "I would advise for everyone to get comfortable, this may take a while to explain." The aged warlock waited as everyone shuffled around, situating themselves to face the speaker. After a few seconds, he continued.

"As you all know, Opal Koboi has returned from the dead and subsequently started an all out war with the People. What you may not know is that her actions thus far have simply been a small and optional component of her overall plan. If she accomplishes it, nothing in the world would be able to stop her." He paused, reading his audience. "But before I get into that, I believe it wise to start at the beginning."

"Opal's ability to escape the afterlife as well as the acquisition of her current powers are the result of an ancient artifact, one that dates before even the People's recorded history. This relic is in the form of archaic manuscripts, ones that were created for the sole purpose of power and destruction. Through some probing during my imprisonment, I was able to find that they were crafted by a group of warlocks, ones that were poisoned by greed and a ruthless desire for power. These warlocks possessed levels of magic that dwarf my own, and they used it for evil, to weaponize magic itself into a cruel instrument of war. But despite their powers, there was one enemy that they all feared, death. They saw death as the only obstacle to their goals, thus they made steps to defeat it. This resulted in the creation of the artifact that Opal now possesses, one that allowed her to return to this realm and to harness great levels of dark magic. Thought I don't know where or how she found it, I know that she used it before her attempt to annihilate humanity several years ago as a contingency plan. It works by forming a link between the underworld and ours, creating a lifeline for the individual that would allow them to climb out of the realm of death and into the one of the living. In order for the link to work, it needed to be attached to a magical source on the other side of the spectrum to act as an anchor. That was us. She managed to use No1 and I as the anchor, and even we couldn't notice its presence, such is its power. Therefore, after she died, she came back, and subsequently began her plans anew."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "I assume that you two are thus what is holding Opal to this realm? If you were to remove the spell, would she not be pulled back?"

"Yes and no." Quan replied. "We are important pieces to her link to this earth, however now that she is in this realm, we are no longer needed to keep her here. It is rather the manuscripts themselves that keep allow her existence. In order to defeat her, these artifacts need to be destroyed, which brings me to the next part. The warlocks that created this relic didn't stop with that, of course. They knew that they couldn't just allow for such power to go unchecked should someone other than them acquire it. In order to provide a countermeasure, they made a secondary piece, a dagger. This dagger was their fail safe, the one contingency to their power should it fall into the wrong hands, which would cause for the world's destruction. I know what you're thinking, and no, the manuscripts themselves do not possess this power, they alone are but a piece to a larger puzzle, one that was made to provide endless power to the warlocks should they be defeated. They called it The Gate, platitudinous I know but then again at that time it seemed rather clever. Anyway, this gate as they called it was their ace in the hole. The manuscripts were linked to it, in them the location and means of unlocking it, though such things are protected by intricate safeguards that Opal is no doubt undoing as we speak. Thankfully she only discovered the Gate's existence two weeks ago, otherwise she would have found it already and we'd all be dead. Her original plan was to simply come back and wage all out war with her new powers, using them to manufacture the artificial souls that she uses to power her armies. She was under that impression up until she noticed something within the manuscripts, something more, something of immeasurable power. She was attracted to it instantly, and since then has been planning to use it."

"And what is this gate?" Commander Ivankov asked seriously as he watched the warlock.

Quan nodded, clearing his throat again. "The Gate itself is so old that it was a mystery even to the warlocks of that time. They didn't know its origins or true purpose, but they figured out what it could do with the right amount of leverage, thus the manuscripts. This ancient gate is without doubt the most powerful thing in the world, if not beyond. To surmise, it grants the one who opens it limitless power, the power to destroy worlds. It does this by making the user a giant magical magnet, therefore attracting every drop of magical energy in the world. With this, the being would be able to absorb all of the magic in the earth, and then even more from the space beyond. The power hungry warlocks thankfully never lived to attain it themselves. They were, by the power of virtually every other magical being of that time, destroyed, their plans discovered by the fairies of old. But in their defeat they managed to save some of their inventions, scattering them around the world, including the means to open the Gate. Such power would destroy every magical being, and doom this earth, and that is precisely what Opal wants. She is done with her grand images of being worshiped and adored by the world, she is finished with the ideology of ruling the people of the earth as their all mighty queen. Now, she simply wants to kill everything, to eliminate all life. Such is the extent of her madness, the sheer level of utter rage and hatred that has clouded her mind and driven her over the edge into the abyss of dark insanity. There is no negotiating with her. She will make no compromises, she will show no mercy, not a single shred of it! If we don't stop her, everything will be gone forever."

Silence hung in the air, the tension around the room so tangible one could cut it with a knife. Everyone was frozen with shock at the horrors that had been revealed, the doom that Opal possessed now looming over them all. The officers and generals were well disciplined, but even they couldn't hide the fear that crept its way into their minds, their years of training and experience never preparing them for such a threat, one that was beyond evil; It was purely insane.

Artemis was less so shocked, he had predicted that Opal would go for something like this in the end. Yet all the same, it was terrifying. _So that's what Koboi was hiding from me. _He thought. _All along the war was a game, her real plan one that would end everything much faster._

The boy looked about the room, noting the silence of everyone else and the presence of dread on their faces. He turned to Quan. "This dagger, do you know where it is?"

The warlock frowned. "No, sadly I don't." He paused, considering something. "However, neither does Opal. In fact, she doesn't even know it exists."

Artemis nodded, understanding immediately. "It's hidden from her."

"Yes." Quan stated. "Because the dagger was meant to be a contingency should the manuscripts fall into enemy hands, the user of their powers is blind to the presence of it, that way it remains a secret only known by its creators. I was able to probe the magical streams and gain knowledge of it only because I was not linked to the other artifact. Opal, on the other hand, is unaware that this piece exists. That is the one advantage we have over her."

"So if we attain this arcane dagger, how exactly does it help us find the Gate, or Opal for that matter?" Holly inquired.

Quan grinned. "Why the dagger of course! Each of these three pieces, the gate, the manuscripts and the dagger, are pieces to one puzzle, and thus are linked to each other. Because of this, the dagger itself will have a metaphysical connection to the others, with which we can find the location of the Gate. Once we do that, we can beat her to it, and stop her when she arrives. I know it would be better to find her instead, but her powers a blocking the signal from the manuscripts, something that the makers didn't intend, yet has occurred. It goes to show how everything has its flaws. Anyway, we must find the dagger. Only then can we hope to stop Opal Koboi."

"The question is, where?" Butler rumbled.

_Where indeed. _Artemis thought, thinking silently for a moment before speaking. "Quan, can you, by chance, give me a description of this artifact?"

"I can do more than that." The warlock stated. He made a quick gesture with his hands, eliciting a faint stream of magic which took to the air. The blue energy swirled for a moment before forming into a three dimensional image. The magical picture depicted the form of an ancient looking dagger. It was relatively simple in design if not unimaginative, though it was lined with arcane glyphs that ran down the blade. Quan grinned. "Just another trick I know, putting thoughts into physical form, quite simple really."

Artemis smiled, a plan already formed in his mind. "Foaly, can you copy that image and put it onto your display, as well as a communicator please."

The centaur made a few simple clicks. "Done and done, though I'm not finding any information on it anywhere." He said perplexedly.

Artemis nodded. "Excellent."

The boy stood up and walked over to Foaly's control center, grabbing the communicator that was beside the main console. Upon picking it up, he began manipulating the controls, an almost smug look on his face. As everyone watched him curiously, Holly raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly are you doing Artemis?" She asked curiously.

The prodigy grinned. "Making a call."

**Vienna, Austria**

A phone rung in the cluttered room, its sound bouncing around the enclosed space. The room, what appeared to be a private study, was highly organized, yet there was simply too much stuff to fit properly. Objects ranging from high tech surveillance equipment to several immaculately clean firearms lined the walls, along with numerous books, computers and screens. As the phone continued to ring, the thick steel doorway swung open, through it stepping a rushed looking man. He was in his late fifties, the signs of old age beginning to show up on his bearded face. He was an average sized man, his aging frame nonetheless straight and healthy, though he was a bit on the heavy side. He wore an old but good looking suit, a pair of pince-nez on his nose and an worn berret on his head. He walked over to the cell phone, picking it up fluidly as he adjusted his glasses.

"Hello?" He said, his wise voice coupled with a German accent.

"_Mr. Eichelberger. It's been a while." _A young but intelligent voice said smoothly.

The man grinned. "Artemis Fowl, I'd recognize that enunciation anywhere. It's good to hear your voice." He quickly left the room, walking into a larger area that was filled with light, closing the security door behind him. The outside room was wide, filled with numerous historical pieces and works of art, as well as a number of expensive lounge chairs.

"_The feeling's mutual Friedrich." _Artemis said cordially. _"Though I have not called to chat. I have need of your services."_

The man plopped down into an old chair by a burning fireplace, two ancient sets of Chinese armor standing on either side of it and a Cézanne painting above. He casually sipped from the crystal wine glass that was on the table beside him.

"Of course. A Fowl never calls a contact on their work phone just to chat." The old man grinned. "So, what can I do for you?"

"_I need to locate a specific item, an ancient dagger to be precise."_ Artemis stated.

"Ah." Friedrich said. "I assume you have a description for me?"

"_Indeed." _Artemis said. "_You should be receiving a digital reconstruction of it on your phone."_

The man's phone beeped, informing him of a received file. He opened the package, revealing an image of the dagger. Friedrich squinted curiously.

"Interesting." He said. "This looks rather familiar. Please, wait a moment while I check something."

"_Of course sir."_ Artemis said patiently.

The man removed himself from the chair, finishing off the glass of wine before walking back to the secure room at the far end of the gallery. Upon entering he closed the door behind him, making his way to a series of computers and old stacks of papers. Sitting down in a leather chair, Friedrich transferred the file to his system, simultaneously opening a filing cabinet below it. After a few minutes of sorting, he came up on the folder of interest, taking it out carefully. He blew the dust from it before opening it, removing its contents as he turned his attention to the system again. After a few seconds, he switched the phone to speaker, setting it on his desk.

"Mr. Fowl, I believe that you may be in luck." He said. "Though there are zero instances of it on the internet or in any historical database, I have found something through my personal archives."

"_Go on." _Artemis said.

Friedrich grinned. "Being in this specific line of work, I have a decent knowledge of the belongings of some rather dangerous people, but of course you already know that. This dagger that you're looking for, I was able to match its markings to a particular dig site within the Pangaion Hills in Greece. Though the dagger itself was not among them there were several other pieces, a few slabs of stone with carvings and an ancient scroll case. They were discovered several years ago by a group of archeologists, though for some reason they disappeared and were never able to publish their findings. Anyway, the significance of this is that I did some work for a small crime syndicate a few weeks after the event, pointing them to that area. Their boss was rather infatuated with historical pieces, and wanted to search the region for anything worth stealing for his collection. I managed to find him an untouched tomb buried near the first site, so he and his crew dug it up. You know what he said after he finished there? He said he'd found a pretty attractive knife, even described it over the phone. From what he said, I think that such was no coincidence. I believe that he has what you're looking for."

"_His name."_ Artemis asked politely.

"Antoine Mousseaux, he resides in Southern France, North of Guillaumes." Friedrich stated. "You looking to buy it from him, or are you going to assume a more_ diplomatic_ approach?"

"_That is entirely up to him."_ Artemis said placidly._ "Anyway, I appreciate your assistance, the money will be wired to your account shortly."_

"Always a pleasure Mr. Fowl." Eichelberger said with a grin. "Be sure to tell your father I said hello."

"_Of course old friend, goodbye."_ Artemis said friendlily.

**Police Plaza – Command Room**

Artemis put down the communicator, a smug grin on his face. The others knew that look, it was the kind that the boy made when a plan came together. Commander Kelp spoke up.

"Well mud boy, what is it?" He demanded, growing tired of the smug visage.

Artemis grinned wider. "I have traced the knife to a certain small time crime boss named Antoine Mousseaux. He lives in Southern France. Foaly, get us the details."

"On it." The centaur said, typing away on his console.

General Winters looked flabbergasted. "How did he find it and we couldn't, we're the LEP for Frond's sake!"

Artemis smiled his vampire smile. "Connections my dear General, connections."

Holly and Butler grinned, enjoying every second of Artemis' genius. There was never a dull moment around him that was for sure.

"Here we go." Foaly called over his shoulder.

Everyone turned their attention to the centaur, who was reading several lines of data.

"Alright." Foaly said, clearing his throat. "Antoine Mousseaux, born in Paris, 1975. 37 years old. He's a member of a small crime syndicate based in France called the Le Baron. Was imprisoned for dug trafficking in the mid nineties, got out a few years later, has been under the radar ever since. He's got green eyes, black hair and likes to watch Oprah believe it or not."

"Just cut to the chase Foaly, where can we find him?" Holly said impatiently.

"Let's see..." Foaly started. "He has a private villa in the Western Alps, directly East from the town of Jausiers. It appears that there's some recent news about it in the mud man papers...oh."

"What?" Trouble demanded.

"It seems as though someone beat us to him. Look at this." Foaly said, worry in his voice. He brought up several images to the displays. They were crime scene photos of a large, burnt out house, its once grand form now withered and charred. The interior was completely destroyed, along with the five bodies that were in the lounge. Whoever had done it, they were beyond serious.

"What are the chances that it was Opal?" Trouble growled, his mood taking a turn for the worse.

"I doubt it." Borislav stated. "It's a textbook drug deal gone wrong."

"Indeed." Butler added. "They are situated on the one end of the table, all facing it. They were meeting someone, and had the goods laid out. The shell casings are all on the other side, as well as several empty magazines, plus the corpses are all holding their own weapons. Clearly they messed up the deal, and the others drew first."

Holly rolled her eyes. "Seriously, why do we have to get tangled up with these sort of mud men all the time? I had enough with the Spiro incident."

"I think it's a good thing." Artemis said, a grin on his face as he eyed a specific picture of a partially intact cigar. "Because I know who did this."

"And how is that? Are you sure?" Trouble said.

"Absolutely." Artemis replied. "As you can see, whoever did this was there for a deal. Mr. Mousseaux was likely inexperienced to dealing narcotics and probably tried to skim a little off the top. He paid the price. After eliminating the people inside, the second party then looted the building of all its valuables, then torched it. What interests me is the method of lighting it on fire. They clearly doused everything with gasoline, after which leaving a trail to the exterior. What lit the gas was a Cuban cigar, more specifically a Cohiba Esplendido."

"So? There are plenty of crime lords who smoke Cubans." Trouble retorted, not at all willing to make a move with simply a cigar as evidence.

"Yes but only one operates in that area and tends to do things himself instead of having trigger men do it for him. He's also quite fond of doing cliché things like burning a mansion by tossing a lit cigar into it, so that's even more proof." Artemis stated placidly.

"Alright, fine." Trouble said, acquiescing. "Who's our guy then, if your hunch is correct?"

"It's not a hunch, it's a fact." Artemis said smoothly. "And he just so happens to be one of my father's old acquaintances." The boy gave the smug grin yet again. "Jack Sawyer."

**South of Lucerne, Switzerland**

The Alps stretched onward into the distant horizon, its snow capped mountains rising above the earth like sleeping giants, the trees covering their bases tiny specks amidst a sea of colossal beauty. The sky was crimson as the sun began to fall below the distance, the white clouds cast pink and gold by the setting star. A gentle wind blew in between the mountains, like water weaving between rocks, its gentle force swaying the trees and blowing loose snow from the great heights, the white particles forming wisping clouds that slowly dispersed into the air, like spirits fading from the earth. There were a few roads running into the hills, but against the size of the world around them, they were but small scratches on a gigantic surface.

Deeper into the range was a winding dirt road, its faint line weaving through the trees as it climbed the great hills. The road emerged onto a plateau about halfway up a mountain, though still below the tree line. The flat area was covered with deep green grasses and clumps of trees, the dirt road running past them as it went its way. Up in the mountain above ran a glacial river, its pure water falling from a cliff into a small lake that was cradled by the plateau, its perfectly clear waters surrounded by nature. The soft mountain breeze passed over the flat area, rustling the grasses gently, rippling the glass like surface of the lake as it rose again into the air. Everything was peaceful, the only sound that of the wind and the content calls of tree frogs and crickets.

Near the middle of the plateau was a large chateau, the building residing on a slight hill as it overlooked the scenery around it. It's design incorporated Victorian era architecture as well as a bit of modern flare, making it look slightly like a castle, but comfortable and extravagant at the same time. Despite its size, it didn't impede on the nature around it, but rather seemed to coexist, the building surrounded by grasses and a few trees, the main entrance the only extension. The road passed through an iron gate between a low stone wall that encompassed the front parking lot. The paved area had several garages as well as a fountain in the middle, its elaborate design fitting to the chateau behind it. Parked throughout the courtyard were numerous vehicles of varying makes. Some were black trucks and cars, whilst others were luxury vehicles or high end sports cars. They were all empty with the exception of one, a black SUV that had just arrived and had pulled up beside the staircase that led up to the mansion's entrance.

As the vehicle's engine switched off, the passenger door swung open, from it stepping Jack Sawyer. The tall man was in his early forties, but he looked like he was still below thirty-five, his handsome features defined and smooth. He had short, light brown hair and bright blue eyes, and not a single hair on his face. He wore an immaculately black Brioni suit and a pair of dark Oxfords, everything in perfect order. Despite his seemingly young features, he had the look of a professional, his eyes cold and serious. Jack looked at the mansion before him, grinning as he closed the van door behind him.

"It's good to be back." He said to himself, checking the time on his Rolex as he walked up the steps, the wind blowing slowly through the courtyard. As he reached the top of the steps, the large oak doors swung open. Two guards stepped out, both dressed in matching suits, nodding to Sawyer.

"Gentlemen." Jack greeted, entering the mansion as the two guards stepped aside, closing the door behind him.

The main foyer was large, its wide expanse leading to two curving staircases that ran along the sides of the room to the second floor. In the middle was the main hall, the wood floor running along with painting covered walls. He proceeded to walk down the hallway, eventually coming up on a large set of double doors. Pushing them open, he emerged into a large room, the sounds of laughter and conversation in the air. The chamber was several stories high, its walls white and laden with decorations ranging from paintings and animal heads to swords and tapestries. Around the room were a variety of couches and chairs, and a long oak dining table at the far end with at least fifty seats. Behind the table was a sizable fireplace, alight with warm flames. Throughout the luxurious room were numerous men and women, most relaxing and enjoying beers and smokes, conversing amongst themselves. The moment Jack entered, however, everyone stopped.

The silence was one of respect and reverence as everyone stood up to recognize their leader. Jack simply waved to them casually.

"As you were." He said simply. The room's occupants went back to their conversations, the mood changing once more to one of ease. Though Sawyer made the effectiveness of his operatives one of his top priorities, he also made their well being another. The ones inside the lounge were simply taking their designated breaks, something that Jack saw as a necessity. It was all about morale, keeping the troops happy but disciplined, so of course they needed some time to cool off from their regular criminal activities.

Sawyer took out a cigar, lighting it placidly as he walked to the side of the room. A large man, dressed in a suit and almost seven feet tall, came up to him cordially.

"Ah, Victor, it's good to see you." Jack said friendlily to his right hand man.

"Welcome back sir, how did the operation go?" He asked in a deep, gravelly voice. He had a distinct Serbian accent, and a very stern face. He was well built with dark brown hair and green eyes. His face was tough and solid, a scar running down the right side from his eyebrow to his jaw, making him look even more imposing.

Jack grinned. "Better than expected actually. The idiots tried to trick us, so we took them out. In the end, we kept our money and acquired several million in product, as well as millions more in assets from their residence. I had most of the loot distributed to our market contacts, they'll pay top dollar for much of it, though I held onto a few things, figured we could use some more Picasso in the billiard room."

The massive man nodded, taking up stride beside Sawyer as he walked through the room.

"What's the status of our trade operation with the Russian Mafia? I trust that the the shipment arrived on time and unspoiled?" Jack asked as he exhaled cigar smoke.

"They contacted us earlier today." Victor stated. "The product was to their standards and they informed me that the payment would be transferred to the offshore accounts once they fully processed the goods."

"Excellent." Sawyer grinned "That's the sixth shipment in a row that went perfectly. I gotta tell you, Interpol really sucks these days, not even a challenge anymore."

The crime boss walked up to the fire place, looking into the flames as he took a drag from his cigar. He blew out the smoke, a wide grin on his face.

"Their place made quite the bonfire, the local police were in quite the kerfuffle. Mind you they'll never find any prints or DNA, and none of the casings or mags had any traceable aspects. I made sure to use a fresh cigar just in case, a waste I know, but a small price to pay for theatrics and anonymity."

"By the way sir." Victor rumbled. "We've been interrogating the rat that was discovered in your absence. I have to admit, he's a tough one, never even flinched when we used the chemicals."

"Excellent, I do love a challenge." Jack said dangerously. His hand fell to his waste, brushing against an object within his pocket, piquing his interest. "What the...oh yeah." He said, pulling out the dagger. "I almost forgot about this little gem." He examined the blade, his eyes running along the glyphs that covered it, cocking an eyebrow as he did. "I've got a great feeling about this piece. Something tells me it's important."

The man looked to the fireplace. "But of course, I have a prisoner to interrogate." He said calmly. "I'll just leave you here for now." Sawyer placed the old artifact upon the mantle, looking at it one last time before turning back to Victor.

"Alright." He said, his eyes narrow and predatory. "Let's see just how tough this guy really is."

**Police Plaza – Command Room**

A series of high quality surveillance photos flashed onto the monitors, the figure of Jack Sawyer depicted in each one. Artemis stood in front of the rest of the room's occupants, the images behind him.

"Jack Sawyer". He began, capturing the attention of the audience. "Head of the European based crime syndicate called the Chimera Firm. It's a relatively lean and efficient group, with approximately one thousand sworn in members divided amongst several key operation zones in Europe, Western Asia and the United Kingdom. They tend to carry out business with as little feuds as possible, working jointly with many of the major syndicates including the Russian and Sicilian mafias as well as the Triads and Yakuza. The Firm does virtually everything, from arms smuggling and narcotic production to human trafficking and high profile heists. I know all of this because my father did business with them, as I mentioned before, though he's been out of the loop for a while now."

"Now allow me to give a short biography of Mr. Sawyer. He was born in New York in 1970, though he was abandoned by his neglectful parents at the age of six, leaving him on his own in the streets of Manhattan. There he managed to survive for several years through pickpocketing and robbery, he even had to kill a few people before he was eight, individuals who sought to molest him mainly. At the age of ten he caught the eye of the Gambino family, one of the Five Families of New York City, and was taken under their wing. They saw potential in him, so they drove him hard. Over the course of the next twelve years he managed to climb his way to an officer position within the family, committing almost every crime one could commit in the process. He got shot on several occasions, stabbed on even more and was almost blown up on another, but, as my father told me, nothing stopped him from attaining his goals. Eventually he retired from the Gambino Family, respectfully resigning in order to pursue his ambitions overseas. With the skills he'd acquired from working for the American Mafia, he quickly formed the Chimera Firm in Europe and became one of the most powerful people in the region. When he was in his late twenties he did business with my father for the first time, which started a rather beneficial partnership that lasted until the Arctic incident, which explains how I know him so well. My father made it a point to instruct me on the family business, and that meant knowing all the players."

Holly frowned. "So he's the one who now possesses the dagger, a mud man who just so happens to be a member from your criminal past. Given his upbringing, I think we've got our work cut out for us."

"Indeed we do." Artemis responded. "However, I excel at dealing with individuals of his caliber. The fact that he knows my father should also make things easier, hopefully we can make a deal."

General Winters looked impatient. "Why not just drop a bio bomb on these mongrels, making a deal with them is simply ludicrous!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm sorry but I don't share your war mongering sentiments, and neither do any of the humans within this room. Even if you did, the use of such a device would draw Opal's attention, which we cannot afford right now."

"I trust you have an idea as to where the dagger is specifically." Trouble stated.

"Of course." Artemis said, keying in a few things on his communicator. The screen switched to a satellite image of a mansion and the surrounding area. The genius looked again to the listeners. "His main headquarters is located at his private estate in Switzerland, on a plateau in the Alps."

Commander Ivankov cocked an eyebrow. "That's in close proximity to our facility. It would be best if you operated from there."

"And we will." Artemis added. "But first we need to clarify our course of action. I propose that I, along with Butler, have a civilized meeting with Sawyer. He'll sell the dagger for the right price, and Foaly should be able to create some very convincing money for that. Of course, I'd like to bring Captain Short and Mr. Diggums along as well. I feel that they are the best suited for this sort of situation, having done so in the past. They will be required should things get out of hand."

Holly nodded, anticipation already in her eyes. "I agree, I'll back you up Artemis."

"Same here kiddo." Mulch grinned. "I always like it when we get tangled with other criminals."

Trouble didn't look very convinced. "So you and Butler are just going to walk in there and buy it from them? If things go wrong, it would be you four against who knows how many others. I could have a retrieval team come in and knock them all out before they know what hit them."

"Maybe." Artemis said smoothly. "But this is the sort of dilemma that requires a scalpel, not a hammer." The boy grinned mischievously. "Besides, I am a criminal mastermind after all. Working with crime syndicates is something I mastered before I was ten."

Trouble frowned, slightly vexed by the human. He turned to General Winters. "General, what do you think?"

The rough elf waved his hand dismissively. "Let him do it. I think it wise to let them deal with their own kind. Besides, our soldiers are spread thin as it is, I'd rather not throw our best at a bunch of heavily armed barbarians."

Commander Ivankov rose his hand. "No need to worry for their safety commander. If they get into trouble I can bail them out."

Trouble scrunched his face in contemplation, looking to the screen once more. After a few moments of consideration he nodded. "Alright, you've got the green light, just try not to get yourselves killed."

"Not a problem." Butler rumbled, his intimidating form looming over everyone else.

Artemis grinned his vampire grin. "Excellent. We should move out immediately." He looked down at his clothes. "Though a change in attire is warranted, we can't go about this dressed in rags."

"Don't worry about it." Borislav said. "I'll have an Armani for each of you when we arrive at our headquarters."

Artemis didn't show it, but he was extremely relieved to hear that he would eventually be liberated from the abysmal clothing that he was doomed to wear for a few more hours. It was one of his worst nightmares having to do business is such unprofessional dress.

"Does anyone else have any concerns?" Kelp asked. When everyone abstained, he nodded his head. "Alright then." He turned to Holly. "Keep an eye on them Captain. Be sure to keep us updated."

Holly stood straight, saluting the Commander. "Yes sir!"

Trouble then looked to Artemis and Butler, who were visibly eager to get going. For a moment he hesitated, a bit of embarrassment flashing across his face. "Good luck, we're counting on you."

Artemis nodded to Kelp, slightly amused by the elf's grudging complement. "Much appreciated." He then turned to Ivankov, who was speaking to several of his men on the other side of the room. "Commander, how soon can we leave?"

The middle aged man checked his communicator. "I've got a light transport on standby. We can leave immediately."

Artemis grinned. "Excellent." He brushed himself off absentmindedly as he looked to Butler with obvious appreciation. "Are you ready, old friend?"

The bodyguard nodded calmly, his face determined. "Always." The man's expression changed to one of consideration for a moment as he checked his phone. "However," He rumbled, "There's a call I must make before we leave."

Artemis grinned. "By all means friend, take your time."

"That won't be necessary." Butler responded, dialing a number. "This will only take a second."

As it dialed, he walked to an empty corner of the room. He put the phone to his ear, waiting as it rung on the other side. After a moment it picked up, a strong female voice answering. _"You need something?"_

"Yes." Butler said smoothly. "I require your assistance."

"_Thank god, I've been bored out of my mind. _The voice said. _"Ever since the family went to their safe house in Wales I've had nothing to do."_

"Are they safe?" Butler pressed, his voice serious.

"_Absolutely. They called up several acquaintances that owed them a favor. I checked things myself, they've got the best security one could ask for."_ She responded.

"Good." The bodyguard said with relief. "Then I need for you to rendez vous with us at the designated coordinates. They'll know you're coming, so don't worry about being shot at."

"_I take it this will be fun?" _She asked, excitement in her voice.

Butler grinned. "Very."

"_Hell yeah, that's what I like to hear."_ She yelled. _"Alright, I'll get on my way then. See you soon bro."_

"Likewise Juliet." Butler said friendlily.

The bodyguard put the phone back into his pocket as he walked to the group assembling by the door. Holly, Mulch and Artemis were waiting alongside Ivankov, who was speaking to the transport crew over his communicator. The elf Captain raised a brow at Butler as he reached them.

"Who'd you call?" She asked curiously.

Butler smiled. "Reinforcements."

**Haven Terminal – Ten Minutes Later**

The hangar was ever in a state of organized chaos, with ships flying all over the place dropping off and loading cargo. Somewhat removed from the entropy, on the far side of the LEP hangar, was a medium sized transport. It was anchored on an isolated landing pad, no doubt reserved for the most high priority ships, which was exactly the case now. As the warm wind from the chute blew through the air, a group of five individuals made their way to the craft, their pace one of importance and haste. Upon reaching it, the side door slid open, allowing them entrance into them ship. The five quickly climbed in, leaving the still battle scarred surface of the hanger behind.

As everyone took a seat around the rear compartment, Commander Ivankov walked to the cockpit, nodding to the two pilots in the front.

"All procedures are finished sir, ready to move out on your orders." One of the flight suit clad humans stated cordially.

"Take us out Lieutenant." The Commander responded as he seated himself in the third seat, strapping into the flight seat quickly.

"Roger that." He said. The pilots activated the ship's engines, bringing the powerful machine to life. In a few seconds the ship lifted off, hovering into the gigantic chute, the view seeming as though they were hanging over an infinite precipice, which was not far from the truth. The Lieutenant punched the throttle, launching the shuttle into the air beyond. As the ship began to distance itself from the terminal, a voice came in over the comm link.

"_This is Viper squadron, we're forming up on you now." _A voice stated.

As the message came through, four interceptors came up on either side of the transport, assuming an escort formation. Together, the five black ships rocketed towards the surface, the roar of their engines fading as they disappeared into the seemingly endless tunnel, their forms shrinking into faint dots as they left Haven behind.

**Sawyer's Estate – Basement**

The dark was oppressing within the narrow confines of the small room, the air within stale and saturated with the stench of blood and sweat. The concrete walls were cold and damp, the stone perfectly formed, not a crack in it's impassive surface. On the far end of the square room was a metal door, the thick and unforgiving barrier devoid of any windows, making it so that the only thing that existed was the little world within. It was quiet, the only sound one of faint dripping in the room beyond and the labored breathing of the man within.

The bloodied and bruised prisoner was chained to a simple metal chair, his clothes torn and stained with sweat, his face caked with grime. Despite the dreadful circumstances, he was calm and composed, his mind in control even though his body was near it's breaking point. When he had been hired by a rival gang to infiltrate the Chimera Firm, he wasn't just hired because of his experience, he'd been hired because of his tolerance for pain and his very tight lips. His employers had been certain that if he was caught, no amount of interrogation would break him, no level of suffering would make him talk. Thus far he'd held true to their expectations, surviving hours of intense punishment without a single cry of pain. They'd left him alone several hours ago, though he knew they'd be back.

As the man made an attempt to sleep, the faint echo of footsteps reverberated from the hallway outside, the sound creeping in through the crack under the door as it got closer and closer. He became alert immediately, his senses detecting only one man approaching, probably a guard checking in on him. As the footfalls reached the heavy door there was a brief silence, which was soon shattered by the clink of keys and the turning of the door's lock. The door squealed madly as it opened slowly, light spilling in from the lit hall beyond, blinding the man temporarily. He squinted against the brightness, unable to cover his eyes, managing to make out the form of a well dressed man entering the cell.

The smell of cigar smoke wafted into his face as the man shut the door, leaving them alone within the cramped space. In the darkness he couldn't see who was with him, but judging by the smoke he had a pretty good idea.

"Jack Sawyer." The prisoner said venomously, spitting onto the floor after saying the name, as though its very utterance was a curse.

There was a momentary silence as the gloom hidden man paced around him several times before stopping again in front of him. When he spoke it was with a voice so dangerous that it made the hardened man's skin crawl.

"I am very disappointed in you, Thomas Lennox." Sawyer said slowly.

Suddenly, the crime boss made a movement, a click sounding above followed by light filling the cell from an overhead bulb. The prisoner squinted yet again, his eyes adjusting slowly to the brightness. When they did he saw the man standing over him, his cigar now thrown to the floor, something that Jack never did unless he was egregiously pissed off.

"You had so much potential, Thomas, and yet you betrayed me and everyone in this family." Jack said calmly, his voice maddeningly devoid of anger.

"I'll never tell you anything!" Thomas said defiantly, glaring at the composed man before him.

Sawyer tilted his head, looking at the prisoner in a calculative fashion, as though reading his life story like an open book. He then grinned devilishly, his eyes seemingly amused.

"I have to hand it to you." Sawyer said loudly as he walked around the chair bound man, his footsteps rhythmic and sharp upon the solid stone floor. "You managed to survive some of my best interrogators without begging for your life. That's a first."

He came back to face the prisoner, pulling a wooden stool from the corner of the cell, placing it a foot from the man. Sawyer sat upon the chair, folding his hands together as he leaned forward to Thomas, leaving a few inches between them. "I like you, so I'm going to give you one last chance to tell me everything. If you don't, you'll have a very bad day."

The ragged prisoner glared daggers at him, spitting in his face with vituperation as he seethed. "Go to hell!"

Sawyer didn't even flinch as the spit hit him in the face, his body not moving in the slightest. As the prisoner sat there, breathing angrily, he simply looked at him, his expression unchanging. After several long seconds of staring into the man's soul, Jack wiped the fluid from his visage, keeping his eyes on the man opposite to him. After about a minute of calculative staring, the crime boss grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Thomas remained silent, watching his captor with pure hatred. Jack sat back, still grinning like a hungry wolf. He stood up, putting the stool back in the corner of the cell. Without a word he started circling around the prisoner again, slow and purposeful. "Allow me to tell you a story."

"When I was six years of age I was a street orphan in Manhattan." He began. "I was born in a rather abusive home. My vagrant parents had abandoned me because I impeded their heavy drinking and drug abuse, seems as though their rum and heroine was more important than my life. So, I lived off of the detritus of society, hoping every day that someone would come along and rescue me from the hell that I had been thrown into. Of course the seventies were shit, no one ever came, nor did anyone seem to care. I was but an eyesore for the rich bankers of Wall Street and the self glorifying stars of Broadway, an inconvenient truth that they simply ignored as they walked by every day of every month of every year. Yet I still held onto the hope that someday, maybe, someone would care, that in such a large city filled with human beings, that one of them would be human enough to show kindness to me. So I continued to believe in another life, a future, that I could be like the other kids, all safe in a home with their toys and warm food, with parents that loved them more than anything in the world."

"There was a man..." Sawyer paused, his calm demeanor suddenly breaking into a faint look of sadness, before quickly changing back to the mask he wore so well. After a moment's hesitation he continued. "There was man who came to me one day, a cold December evening, as I was trying to stay warm in a dumpster, but couldn't. I was close to death. He said that he would help me, that I could be normal, that I'd have a life worth living, a life worth loving. Being as I was, I believed him. He took me to his house, offered me warm food, even gave me hot chocolate, something I'd never tasted before. I was, for the first time in my life, happy, the simple things that he gave worth more than gold. At that moment, I knew that there was hope."

Jack paused again, something in his mind making making his face harden with anger. "Of course, nothing's free in life." He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before continuing. "Turns out he tainted my hot chocolate with tranquilizer. I was out in a matter of seconds...When I woke up I was chained in a dark room. It was cold. I was scared. Then the man came in. When he did I called his name, thinking that he would save me, my young mind not understanding yet that it was he who had drugged me. He gave me a look that made all the expectation drain from my heart, a look of sick desire."

Sawyer stopped in front of the prisoner, looking away from him to some distant place. "The things he did to me I will never forget. Sometimes he hurt me, other times he did even worse things, things that I will not go into for both our sakes. He had a knack for causing suffering, making one feel horrible pain yet keeping them conscious and fully alert, fully feeling. After several long days of this, I was given an opportunity. He'd been drinking heavily, passed out in the chair a few meters from me. In his stupor he forgot to tie me up after the last session. I could have just left, gone to the police and possibly attained shelter. But I didn't. Instead I went to his little box of tools, the ones he used on me. I grabbed a knife, the one he seemed to favor most, and walked over to him. He always kept them sharp, so I knew it was functional. I watched him as he snored away, his disgusting face almost normal looking in slumber, almost human. But I knew it was a lie, that we were all evil, that it is what we do best. However, I waited, waited silently until he woke. When he did, he mumbled my name, and for a second it sounded like the way he spoke to me the first time we met, with goodness and care. But again, I knew it was a lie. He saw the knife, but I was too fast and he was too slow. I stabbed him as hard as I could right in his fat belly, then again and again and again, even long after his screaming and gurgling stopped. I kept doing so for over an hour until the knife itself broke from overuse. After that, I left. I went back to my life on the streets a changed person. I no longer had that innocent hope that I had before, I no longer believed in the goodness of people. I finally knew how the world was, I saw it clearly for the first time." Sawyer turned to Thomas, a stone cold look on his face. "I saw that life is empty, that unless you do things yourself, you will never rise above your own filth. There is no such thing as a happy ending, no such thing as a hero that will rescue you from the ashes of despair. There is only yourself."

Sawyer crouched down, bringing himself to eye level with the prisoner. "But you know what I also learned? I learned how to survive, how to claw my way to the top at the expense of everyone else. It made who I am today a possibility. So in a way, I owe him, otherwise I would have simply died like a stray dog on that cold December night." Jack paused, his eyes growing increasingly cold. "Do you know what else he taught me? He taught me how to make people suffer, I learned first had after all. So, I'd like to share with you his talents, and hopefully then you'll be able to appreciate life enough to tell me what I want to know."

Lennox still glared defiantly at the man, though inside he was unnerved by his story, secretly afraid of the man before him. He didn't say anything as Sawyer took off his suit jacket and placed it on the stool, along with his watch. Jack pulled up his sleeves revealing scar covered arms, remnants of his horrid past, the faint lines still visible after all those years. He reached into his pocket for something, though Thomas couldn't see what it was, and stood over his prisoner with a death-like stare.

"Let's put your so called unbreakable character to the test shall we?" Sawyer stated placidly. With that, he got started.

Down the hallway stood Victor, the tall man utterly impassive as he kept watch by the stairs. As the screams started to waft out from the cell, the imposing man couldn't help but wince. He'd only seen Jack at work once before, but it was enough to make him flinch, and that's saying something. For about an hour the cries of agony went on, but suddenly, after about sixty-two minutes, the sound stopped abruptly. The door to the cell swung open, out from it stepping Jack Sawyer. He was, to Victor's surprise, clean. He walked at a casual pace, putting on is suit jacket as he did. His face was calm, his eyes devoid of emotion.

"It's done." He said to his second in command with a smooth voice. "He sang like a canary. I now know everything I need to know."

"Is he alive?" Victor asked, the intonation in his voice showing no concern for the prisoner's well being, rather a simple business as usual tone.

Jack's empty expression didn't change. "Unfortunately he is no longer with us. Dispose of him in the regular fashion, there's no need to give this one any special treatment." He started to walk to the stairs, but stopped suddenly, slightly shaking despite himself has he put his hands to his face. He grimaced as he took several deep breaths, his eyes closed tightly as he suppressed the sudden flashes of memory that had surfaced from the recesses of his mind, no doubt given rise by the torture he'd just dispensed. He preferred to distance himself from the past, but he had no choice but to revisit it in order to break the prisoner, a necessity that would no doubt cause nightmares for weeks.

"Sir, are you alright?" Victor asked as he moved to the man, concern evident in his voice.

Sawyer nodded to his comrade. "Thanks, but I'm quite alright. Just some memories I'd rather forget is all." He stood up fully once more, brushing his suit off as he composed himself. "We must call a meeting concerning the intel that I just acquired. There are some people that need to be wiped off the map."

"Of course." Victor stated cordially. "I'll have all of your Lieutenants gather in the conference room immediately."

Jack nodded, allowing the man to pass by. As Victor's footsteps faded, the man looked down the hall to the cell one last time, a haunted look on his face. It reminded him all too well of the one he was in all those years ago.

_Truly we are all victims of our pasts. _He thought._ How much I wish mine would just leave me alone._ After a moment he started up the stairs as well, leaving the cold dark cellar behind.

**Western Alps - Mountain Facility**

The shuttle flew through the entrance tunnel to the facility, leaving the chute as it passed into the allied base. The escort broke off as the craft neared the hangar, allowing it to move about freely. The area was much less congested than it was the last time Holly had been there, the majority of the allied forces being in and around Haven. Still, there were a few dozen ships, some loading up supplies for the city's relief efforts whilst others underwent repairs. The shuttle slowed to a halt, landing smoothly upon the surface of the hangar, subsequently powering down its engines. As engineers checked up on the ship's exterior, the occupants within unstrapped themselves. Commander Ivankov patted the pilot's on their shoulders before walking to the rear compartment where the others were waiting.

"Alright, time to get off." He stated as he reached the door. "Be sure to behave, the council even get's into a kerfuffle about dress code, so try not to break anything."

Mulch grinned. "Do you have loss prevention up here?"

The human commander gave him an unamused look which said: _You steal anything, I hit you. _The dwarf quickly became a little angel after that. Ivankov looked at the dwarf for a moment longer, then opened the door.

Artemis, Butler and Holly each waited as the doorway slid open. As it did, a figure became apparent outside. It was standing a few meters from the craft, arms crossed casually. As the door opened further they were able to make out the individual before them. Though Butler and Ivankov weren't surprised, everyone else was taken completely off guard.

"Hey guys, what's up?" The person said conversationally, waving a hand at them.

There, standing before them in a black suit, was a grinning Juliet Butler.


	13. The Heist

**Western Alps - Mountain Facility**

Footsteps echoed down the metallic hall, reverberating through it's long expanse as it got louder and louder, the noise marking the steady approach of six individuals. Commander Ivankov lead the others down the passageway with a steady and purposeful gait. Behind him strode Artemis and the two Butlers, all three of them now perfectly dressed in professional attire, their figures imposing in their own unique ways. Captain Holly Short followed behind along with Mulch, mainly to keep a eye on the kleptomaniac dwarf, who had already made several attempts at stealing expensive hardware. She was fully decked with a new shimmer suit and an advanced pair of wings, both of which she acquired from Foaly. Along with two neutrinos and her unassailable expression, she was the definition of a soldier. Juliet also shared the expression, though she had a more deceptive appearance, one of a rose. But everyone knows that roses have thorns, and Juliet's were more like razor sharp blades, beautiful but deadly. She was a skilled bodyguard, and though she lacked her brother's experience, she could easily defeat most foes that they may face. Her arrival was rather unexpected for those not informed of her involvement, though such surprise was quickly replaced by grins and camaraderie; it was great to have her aboard. As to how she got over to the facility in only an hour, nobody knew except Butler.

As the group went down the hall, nobody else appeared, the area devoid of occupation apart from them. None of them spoke, the air around them one of pure determination and purpose. They knew their plans to the letter, and now were about to embark upon one of the most important missions of their lives, to acquire the one thing that could stop Opal Koboi from destroying the earth. There was no greater calling than that.

A door opened before them as they reached it, the metal portal sliding smoothly aside to reveal the expansive garage that the facility possessed. Though all of the armored machines were not present, there were still numerous cars and trucks, all a perfect black. One of the trucks, the same armored SUV they rode before minus the turret, was right in front of them when they entered the room, its finely dark surface gleaming against the lights above, its form without a speck of detritus.

Commander Ivankov stopped at the vehicle, turning to the others fluidly, a serious look on his visage. "I'll leave you to your mission. This vehicle should prove adequate for that which you plan on doing. Just be sure to bring it back, I'd rather not have a fusion powered truck fall into the hands of a crime lord." He tossed Butler the keys, who caught them without even a glance. "Be careful out there. If you get in over your heads, feel free to give me a call."

Artemis grinned. "I appreciate the gesture, but we'll be quite alright. In fact, this will be more fun than it is business."

The Commander nodded slowly, his demeanor still one of stern composure. "So be it. Regardless, bring everyone and that dagger back, best of luck to you." He then checked his communicator, noting the time as he observed something upon the device. "Anyway." He stated abruptly. "It appears as though my superiors wish to have a meeting regarding the recent events. I trust you all know the way out, so I won't bore you with my idle banter any longer. Good luck and godspeed." With a nod he turned on his heels, striding quickly through the door from which they came, leaving the five others alone in the large room.

Artemis watched him leave before looking to the others. With a grin only he could procure the genius spoke. "Well then, my friends, let's get this show on the road. Opal's demise awaits."

Nobody needed any encouragement. They swiftly piled into the vehicle, Butler taking the wheel. Within no time at all, the SUV was flying down the exit tunnel, emerging into the dark night that surrounded the looming mountains. As they disappeared into the forest covered hills, the winking stars above watched on, an audience to the show that was about to begin.

**Sawyer's Estate – One Hour Later**

The sky was perfectly clear, not a single cloud present amidst the sea of stars, the bright pinpricks of light shining fully along with the moon as it reflected the sun's rays onto the earth. The ubiquitous breeze blew gently across the plateau, its smooth passage interrupted by the large mansion that sat in the middle, its many windows glowing with light. On the far end of the plateau, where the road disappeared into the forests below, the sound of an engine slowly rose above the faint winds, the mechanical noise being mostly absorbed by the nature around it. With its light switched off, a black SUV emerged from the dark woods, driving casually onto the plateau, stopping suddenly before it fully crested the hill. Within the gloom hidden vehicle, Artemis Fowl smirked.

"Time to introduce their security systems to Foaly." He said mischievously.

The boy gave Butler a small device, a bug-like machine that was no larger than an acorn. The bodyguard silently took it, rolling down the driver's side window simultaneously. He reached out, opening his palm. The tiny machine sprung to life, its artificial wings flapping rapidly. It took off quickly, flying towards the mansion with blinding speed. It narrowed in on the closed gates of the building, moving itself beside the intercom box at the entrance. As the vehicle's occupants waited, the mechanical bug hovered by the box, inserting several long limbs into its interface, the energy coated extremities cutting into the metal with ease. After a few more seconds, the bug had dug its way into the system, lodging itself amongst the wires and microchips. As they waited patiently, a voice spoke over the vehicle's speakers.

"_Alrighty then."_ Foaly said excitedly. _"I'm...in!"_

As the centaur finished his sentence, the metal gate swung open, allowing them access. Foaly continued his egregiously proud banter almost immediately.

"_I've hacked all of their inept systems. All cameras are now running loops, and the little package you wanted for them is now being arranged. I've run several scans on on the area, it appears as though most of the individuals within the building are located in the dining hall, seems like they're having a little get together."_ The centaur stated.

"Excellent." Artemis said smoothly. "That should make things easier. Butler, take us in."

The vehicle lurched forward, passing through the field of grasses which swayed rhythmically with the wind, a living sea of sleepy green forms. They entered the courtyard without incident, the gates wide open thanks to Foaly's bug. Butler brought the vehicle to a halt by the stairs, shutting off the engine as he did. Everyone waited in silence. Artemis looked to each of the people around him before speaking.

"Ok, we're going to do this as we discussed earlier." He said. "Butler and Juliet with me, Sawyer won't question you two guarding me, especially given this is a business transaction. Holly, you keep cloaked above us with your wings, wait for the code word. Mulch, you stay here. Use your shimmer suit to go about your work unnoticed, just get it done before the timer runs out. Foaly, I trust you'll have your side ready when it's needed."

Everyone nodded, especially Mulch, who had a very anticipative grin on his face; he was going to have some fun tonight. After a few seconds of calculated silence, Artemis smiled. "Then let's go, shall we?"

The side doors opened, from them visibly stepping Artemis and the two Butlers, as well as two invisible fairies, their passage almost unnoticeable. Butler, who was carrying a large black suitcase, looked around briefly before following Artemis, ensuring that there were no sharpshooters in proximity to them. The three humans started up the stairs, Holly hovering over them noiselessly. The wind blew with sudden ferocity as they climbed the stone steps, leaves flying by them, as though the gravity of the situation was reflected in the elements. Upon reaching the door, Artemis raised his hand, moving to knock on the large wooden portal. But before he could even touch it, the door swung open, four armed guards stepping out with weapons drawn. The four well dressed men held high powered handguns, the way they carried them reflecting their decent level of training and experience. Artemis and his two bodyguards didn't even flinch, completely expecting this to happen.

"Put your hands on your heads and identify yourselves!" The lead guard stated roughly. The three complied, though Artemis looked rather annoyed.

"Is any of this necessary?" Artemis stated in a vexed tone, his face otherwise impassive. "I am Artemis Fowl the Second, criminal mastermind, and yet you treat me like a vexatious interloper. I'll have you know that I am here to do business with your boss, Mr. Sawyer. It would be rather inconvenient if you were to impede the otherwise efficient flow of business that he likes to uphold."

The guards, to their credit, didn't even blink. They were used to this sort of situation. The head guard motioned to the others to keep their weapons aimed, while he himself took out a cellphone. After a brief moment of waiting, he spoke into it.

"Sorry to bother you sir." He said apologetically. "But there's a kid here who says he has business to do with you, a Mr. Artemis Fowl."

After a second of listening, the guard nodded, hanging up the phone with a beep before putting it back into his pocket. He motioned for the others to lower their weapons, thought they kept them in hand, never taking their fingers off of the triggers. The chief guard looked back to Artemis.

"He will see you now. I need to seize any weapons you may have on you at this time." He said, looking mainly to Butler, who was already scary without any weapons drawn. Two of the guards did a quick frisking of each of them, though none of them had any weapons anyway. After the security check, the head guard motioned for them to follow. With two men in front and behind, Artemis, Butler and Juliet strode into the grand hall of the elaborate mansion, their faces impassive and their gait confident. Artemis casually appraised the numerous paintings on the walls as they passed them, easily capable of telling a genuine piece from a false one, though not a single one was anything but an original work. Along with the art, several sets of Japanese samurai armor stood guard along the walls, their ancient weapons still gleaming and sharp. As they were escorted down the huge hall, the sounds of laughter and conversation began to rise, the noise coming from the large door at the far end. They were about to enter a den of wolves.

**Sawyer's Mansion – Dining Hall**

The lights were slightly dimmed within the large room, illuminating everything with a faint glow that balanced day and night on a knife point, defining the shadows that lurked throughout the elaborate expanse, yet giving them little purchase. The fireplace burned brightly, casting warmth into the room beyond, its flames licking hungrily at the air. The sounds of laughter and talking reverberated around, the smell of cigarette smoke and food wafting into the air along with the cacophony of smooth jazz music. The large banquette table was occupied by many people, as well as the numerous tables and couches throughout the room. Overall, there were seventy men and women in the room, all of them veteran mobsters, and all of them with some sort of firearm concealed beneath their expensive suits.

Jack Sawyer sat at the head of the table, enjoying one of his signature cigars as he held a glass of aged red wine. Around him were all of his most trusted officers, each individual with ample expertise in the criminal underworld, as well as a ruthless dedication to the family. He had worked with many of them since the conception of the Chimera Firm, thus they were his very best and most capable officers. He grinned as he raised his glass, exhaling a cloud of cigar smoke as he did.

"Ladies and gentlemen." He declared loudly, grabbing everyone's attention. "We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the demise of the vexatious gang that sought to infiltrate our ranks. Not five hours ago I broke their pathetic rat, and in only a few more hours we had their entire headquarters bombed to oblivion along with every single one of their operatives. So, as they burn in hell, let us drink to their memory."

Everyone drank fully, emptying their glasses completely. Jack grinned wider, emptying his glass as well. Beside him, Victor held a large bottle of vodka, which was already half empty, though somehow he was still very sober. Given his size, it would naturally take more alcohol to affect him, but even so, the Serbian had such a high tolerance that it took several bottles to even feel it. As everyone enjoyed the taste of victory, the doors to the room swung open, from them stepping several armed guards along with three other individuals, who were an instant focal point.

Everyone in the room looked to the new entrants, ceasing any conversation as their mood changed from merriment to serious business. Any one, no matter who they were, would elicit such a response, the presence of foreign individuals an occasion that called for complete attention. As they saw the terrifying man mountain that was Butler, their hands automatically moved to their concealed guns, many of them aware of who the man was: a man of legend. Noticing the sudden tension in the air, Sawyer stood up, putting his hands in the air.

"Everyone please, calm down." He yelled. "I know that one guy is one scary son of a bitch, but they're guests." He turned to Artemis, who was waiting by the door, the two Butlers flanking him. Jack grinned the widest grin he'd ever made. "Why if it isn't the one and only Artemis Fowl the Second! And the two renowned Butlers no less!" He said excitedly, walking across the room to meet them. As he came within several meters of the trio, he stopped, taking the cigar from his mouth before speaking again. "I've got to say, I could hardly believe it when my guards told me you of all people were here to do business with me, I mean come on! That's like being visited by the tooth fairy!" He laughed, taking another drag from his cigar. "Tell me." He said casually. "Whatever happened to your father? Ever since that incident with the Russians he's been out of the game! What happened? Did he lose more than just his leg or something, perhaps his nuts?"

The people around him chuckled, eliciting a bit of irritation from Artemis, who had a low tolerance for disrespect, especially for his father. Despite this, he kept calm. The boy looked around the room, his eyes studying everyone before falling on the dagger upon the fireplace. It was so close, yet so far, a small army of mobsters in between them and Opal's fatal weakness. He quickly reverted his gaze back to Sawyer.

"I assure you such is not the case." Artemis stated intelligently. "However, after such a debacle, he saw it fit to resign from his position. One can only handle so many near death experiences in one lifetime."

Jack frowned. "That's too bad. He was such an excellent business partner, maybe even the best. We used to do all sorts of things together, like selling narcotics, running human trafficking rings, insurance fraud, arms dealing, that kind of stuff. I can tell you, I really miss the monthly game of golf we'd play, the eighteen holes are rather boring without him, I even had to cancel his membership for our county club given his absence. It's too bad he's finished with the business, it really is." Sawyer grinned wolfishly. "However, it seems as though you're still in the game, which is music to my ears."

Artemis nodded placidly. "Indeed, it is my duty to uphold the family affairs in his stead, thus any and all business actions. I am here tonight with a proposition."

Jack rubbed his hands together. "Excellent." He said happily. "What do you need? Drugs, guns, art, hitmen, cars, boats, planes, tanks, accountants, lawyers, women..." He paused, seeing Artemis' utterly unamused expression. "Men?"

The genius shook his head. "None of the above. I am here for something else, something rather unique."

The crime boss raised an eyebrow, enticed by Artemis' words. "Do tell."

"I am here." Artemis stated. "For the dagger that is precariously placed upon the mantlepiece on the other side of this room."

Everyone was silent, even Jack was quite surprised, his eyes betraying pleasant shock. He'd only just acquired the dagger, and yet the great Artemis Fowl had already found out about it and subsequently come knocking on his door for it. He could hardly believe his luck.

As the whole room watched, Sawyer walked over to the fireplace, grabbing the ancient dagger carefully from the mantle before moving back to face Artemis. He held the dagger up, showing it to the boy, but keeping it out of arm's reach. "You want this raggedy thing? I didn't take you for an archeologist." He said, a look of curiosity crossing his features.

Artemis kept his cool demeanor, not changing his expression. "I don't. My mother's birthday is coming up, and she has a liking for historical pieces such as this." Artemis said, motioning to Butler. The massive bodyguard took the suitcase and placed it upon the table, opening it before spinning it around, showing Jack the money that filled its interior. As Butler moved back behind Artemis, the boy continued. "I'm willing to pay top dollar for it, one million dollars to be exact."

The mob boss whistled, eying the stacks of fresh dollar bills, which were in fact exact replicas courtesy of Foaly. Grabbing a random wad of bills, he removed one and held it into the light, observing it carefully. It was perfectly legit looking, even to the best professional, the centaur's work extraordinarily flawless. With a satisfied grunt he tossed the money back into the case, closing it smoothly as he twirled the dagger skillfully in one hand. He then regarded the ancient artifact, his eyes appraising the blade as he arched an eyebrow, before turning his attention back to Artemis.

"Funny." He said smoothly. "You're willing to offer me one million dollars for a birthday present for your mother. I gotta say, that's precious, your gonna make me cry." He strolled slowly back a few paces, speaking calculatingly as he did. "However, there's an abnormality within the construct of your story. Having worked with your father for many years, I've learned a bit about his wife, one of them being her tastes, and as you well know, a refined woman such as herself doesn't change her preferences that easily. Judging by what I was told during our drinking hours, your mother doesn't have any remote interest in ancient weapons, especially such an esoteric dagger as this, which hardly has any connection to the usual eras that rich Irish housewives tend to favor." He turned around to look at Artemis again, his face now serious and slightly cold, a complete switch in emotion. "And you brought two of the most dangerous people in the world plus one million dollars into my estate without even calling ahead. That's odd, isn't it? In a normal situation you would have simply sent me a message, and would have arranged a meeting in which we could have made the transaction. However, you didn't, instead opting for a much more egregiously abrupt and blunt approach, one that shows me that you are on the clock, far too constrained by time to do things as per normal protocol. Given that you're mother's birthday isn't for a few more weeks, that could hardly be your reason to rush so blatantly. What that tells me is that this artifact is much more important than you say it is, that you desperately need it more than anything, and that you need it now for the almost immediate application of its properties. You could a least lie better, your complexion and slightly abnormal enunciation gave it away quite effectively." He set his cigar onto an ash tray, tilting his head. "Now tell me Artemis, why do you want this dagger?"

There was a growing tension in the room, the numerous occupants now utterly alert and ready to take action should anything threatening transpire. Butler and Juliet were completely calm in appearance, but they were beginning to sense danger, their eyes changing from impassive to slightly threatening. Above the ground floor, perched upon an elephant head that was mounted on the wall, was Holly Short. She was invisible to the eye, but she much more preferred to sit on something that gave her a good tactical position instead of hovering over the meeting. Even though she hated taxidermy with a passion, the mounted head gave her the best vantage point. As she observed the exchange below, she couldn't help but grit her teeth. Things were starting to get sketchy.

Below, Artemis kept his cool, though he was surprised by Sawyer's insight. He'd seen right through his perfect ruse, something that a rare few ever accomplished. Nonetheless, the boy spoke smoothly, without any hint of worry or hesitation. "I assure you, that is none of your concern. What matters is that you'll be payed."

"With one million dollars?" Sawyer coughed, pointing to the case. "That's pocket change kid and you know it. I just made a hundred times that from a deal that only took a few days to accomplish, so what makes you think I'll give you such an obviously important piece for dirt cheap?"

"Because you knew my father, and it would be in your best interests to keep your syndicate's relations with the Fowl family optimal." Artemis responded placidly.

Jack grinned. "You think that just because I did business with your dad that I'll cut you some slack? You do know that your family has been rather...inactive in the industry as of late. You aren't even in good standing with any of the major syndicates out there, whilst I am. Hell, you seriously pissed off the Russians with that little trick you pulled on them during your father's hostage situation. And then there's Jon Spiro and Billy Kong, man you got some people mad when you took them out." His face turned serious again, all amusement vanished, his visage growing ice cold. "They were rather valuable partners to me as well. Spiro was quite useful when it came to connections with the Antonelli family in America, and Kong was the perfect killer, always finishing the job with precision and ruthlessness. I lost quite a bit of money thanks to you. But back then I let it slide, given your father, figuring that I owed him. Now, however, such favors have been spent, leaving you with nothing to bargain with."

Artemis didn't show his growing anxiety. He had known a lot about Sawyer, but even that wasn't enough. The man was proving to be more dangerous than he'd anticipated. Maybe he'd been removed from the criminal underworld for too long, maybe he was losing his edge. _Impossible. _Regardless, there were some things that even he didn't know, especially when it came to a professional like Jack. This unsettled him greatly. _Time to use plan B. _He thought, pressing an invisible button on his thumb.

With a slight smirk Artemis spoke, this time with a more predatory tone. "On the contrary, I have plenty to bargain with." He motioned to the widescreen television on one side of the room._ Come on Foaly, show us what you can do._

The screen flickered to life, upon it a live feed from one of the mansion's perimeter cameras. It showed the forest road at the edge of the plateau. At first there were only trees and mountains visible, but as the image sharpened, more became clear. Upon the path were dozens of police vehicles and tactical units, their lights off, as though waiting for something, hiding in the dark as they anticipated a command. Many of Sawyer's men were shocked by the convincing image, speaking amongst themselves nervously. It was every criminal's nightmare, the crime lord's boogeyman; Interpol.

Artemis grinned devilishly as Jack looked at the screen. "As you can see, I have half of Interpol just waiting outside your estate. You see, I have connections, so I was able to bring them over here as collateral. If you seek to inconvenience me further, I will inform them that this place is a front for the Chimera Firm. If you comply, I will make them leave and no one will bother you. So, what will it be?"

Sawyer observed the screen for a few more seconds, his face surprisingly calm, if not slightly amused. He turned back to Artemis, a grin growing across his face. "You know." He said. "That's quite a convincing bit of editing you got there, I can't even tell the difference." He twirled the dagger in his hand absentmindedly, the ancient blade moving faster than the eye could track. "However, you're not the only one with connections."

Jack walked slowly back to the table, his right hand man, Victor, now next to him. The large Serbian man stared at Butler with deadly eyes, his scar slashed face stern and confident. Butler returned the favor. As the two giant men stared each other down, Sawyer reached to the table upon which the suitcase sat, grabbing a wineglass as he did. Taking a deep sip, he turned back to face the genius, his eyes now dangerous. He was getting irritated.

"You see, I like to be many steps ahead of my enemies." He stated smoothly, setting the now empty glass down again onto the table. "I have operatives within the higher ranks of Interpol, the FBI, SOCA, and most other major law enforcement agencies, and I pay them more than you ever could. If anyone so much as Googles my name or looks me up on facebook, I hear about it." He paused. "Not that I use facebook, that would just be stupid."

Artemis couldn't help but grit his teeth; this man was much more trouble than it first appeared. He'd seen through both of his plans, and now things were nearing the third, a course of action that he'd rather not carry out, but had little choice. Jack watched him, his face completely serious.

"So yet again, it appears as though you are left without anything to negotiate with, though I commend your efforts thus far." Sawyer stated calmly. "You see, I like you. You're so much like your father, and I can respect that. However, this is a business that I am running here, and as with all enterprises, it requires significant amounts of monetary affluence in order to function optimally, so it's only logical for me to make the most out of this situation." He twirled the dagger again teasingly, his eyes still on Artemis. "So here's how it's going to go. You will give me fifty million dollars, and I will allow you to have this artifact."

Artemis didn't even think about accepting the offer, he didn't have time for any of this. The clock was ticking, and every second that passed was a second given to Opal to near her goal. The boy gave Jack a cold stare, shaking his head. "No deal. My original offer stands. You can take the offer and leave us be, or you can cross us, which will not end well for you."

Sawyer grinned wolfishly, a look that showed no merriment or good will; it was a look of dangerous intent. "So you're going to threaten me in my own house now? Seriously, have you no class?" He took a step forward, the tension in the room reaching a climax as he did. The crime lord's gaze bored into Artemis' head, his stare utterly cold and death-like, as thought the tortured souls to all the people he'd killed were just beneath his eyes.

"There was another man who did the same thing many years ago. I was thirteen at the time, several years after the Gambino family took me in from the streets. Up to that point I was much more like an errand boy, doing simple tasks whilst they taught me the basics of the industry, nothing violent mind you. When I turned thirteen, they sought to make me something more. They knew what I did to survive all those years in squalor, and saw potential. They finally decided to put such potential to the test." He paused, his gaze ever one of the emptiness that killing brought. "They had me sit in on a little meeting between one of the Gambino family's Lieutenants, and some low level gang that had become too intrusive. Though they gave me a gun just in case, I wasn't told anything about the proceedings, nor was I given any instruction but to watch and learn. So I did. It was a rather vexing meeting, the insignificant gang boss a whining asshole who showed absolutely no respect. He threatened us, our boss, our families, and all the while held a false sense of security, a foolish confidence that only idiocy can produce. I couldn't care less about what he said, I was simply there to learn, to see what the Lieutenant did. You can imagine my surprise when that Lieutenant gave me a look, one that was evident in its demands. He wanted me to shoot them. Apart from the boss, there were four other men present, all members of the rival gang. I knew each had a firearm, and with the teaching I'd been given over the last few years, I knew exactly where they were concealed and how long it would take the amateurs to draw them. I only waited for a few seconds, just enough time to size up my foes, before taking action. I drew my gun before they cold even blink, firing a single shot into each one of them. They all met their marks, except for the boss, who I hit in the shoulder instead of the head. So as his boys lay dead on the floor, he was screaming in agony, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. I looked to the Lieutenant, who simply handed me an old hammer. I knew what was expected of me. You know how a watermelon goes if you hit it too hard? Well that man's head did the same thing, though it was much messier, I got bits of him all over me. Not that I cared, killing was a simple thing for me, ingrained in my mind as a basic fact of life, just as easy as having my hair cut once and a while. But, before I digress, allow me to get to the point. You see, I very much dislike being threatened in my own territory, much like that Lieutenant disliked it back then, though at least you have been professional about it. Regardless, you should think twice before making such a move when you are clearly outnumbered and outmatched, a complete tactical blunder that in many cases would mean your untimely death. But I do not wish for anything unfortunate to befall you, after all, you're a brilliant kid. Still, your words will have repercussions."

Jack waited for a moment, watching Artemis' face for any sort of reaction. When he found none, he continued. "Now, how about I make a more suitable offer, Mr. Fowl." He stated softly. "I know that you're a person who loathes to be commanded by others, you detest being bent to the will of another, such is your hubris. At times, your brilliance is your downfall, as you are so lofty that you cannot even consider being beaten. So be it. If you cannot give me the price I demand, I will just have to take something of even greater value." His fingers made a motion, almost unrecognizable, but noticeable enough for all of his operatives to understand. The crowd of criminals spread out to surround the trio, their hands hovering over their holsters. Butler and Juliet tensed, now certain that conflict was inevitable. Artemis kept his gaze on Sawyer, who was standing now a few feet from him.

"I will just have to take you, Artemis." Jack stated dangerously. "After all, your life is no doubt worth far more than fifty million, is it not?" He raised a eyebrow, again twirling the dagger effortlessly. "Your parents no doubt have become soft, their isolation from their past making them weak. Coupled with the fact that they could hardy go to the police over this given their criminal ties, they would easily acquiesce." He looked at the Butler and Juliet. "And as for your friends, they too will fetch a good price. There are plenty of individuals who have scores to settle with them, and you." He turned his gaze back to Artemis. "I might even hand you over to the Russian mafia, they've been dying to get their hands on you." He took another step towards Artemis.

Butler glared at the man, his fists clenching into giant boulders. He was getting irritated as well, his body aching to get Artemis out of there, yet his mind holding the urge at bay. Jack didn't even hesitate, utterly confident. "You think that you could take all of us on and survive? Even with your skill, what are three unarmed individuals against seventy-five trained professionals?" His eyes narrowed. "Dead meat."

Above the intense display below, Holly readied her neutrino, her face angry and stressed. How dare they treat Artemis like that! They had no idea what they were dealing with, but all the same they were ready to pounce, the occupants of the room each seconds away from drawing on her friends. _Come on Artemis! _She thought. _Just say the word!_

Below the elf, Sawyer and his operatives had surrounded the trio, ready to draw their weapons. Jack, with an all to casual demeanor, grinned at Artemis. "Sorry kid." He said in an business like tone. "But there's no such thing as honor amongst thieves, not in this day and age."

Artemis smirked. _Plan C it is then._

He gave Jack his signature grin, eliciting a slight bit of unease from the man. "Well then, Mr. Sawyer, I'm afraid I'll just have to decline your offer yet again." With a faint motion to Butler and Juliet, they each took out a pair of black shades, the air filled with raw anticipation. Jack smirked as Artemis put the glasses on. "What, do those shoot laser beams or something?" He said sarcastically.

"Close." Artemis said deviously. He paused, looking slowly to the mounted elephant head where he knew Holly was sitting. They were ready. He took a deep breath before speaking loudly. "Troll droppings."

Above them, Holly smiled. _About time._

As Artemis uttered the words, Jack's face contorted with sudden surprise, along with Victor and most of the other people in the room. They knew what he had just done; he had said a code word, the enunciation a dead giveaway despite the rather curious choice of words. There was no mistake, something big was about to happen.

With a shout Jack reached into his coat, dropping the dagger as he drew his Beretta 96, a look of irascibility on his face. Everyone else also drew their weapons, the sound of slides being racked filling the room. However, just as they were about to aim at their three targets, Holly pressed the detonation switch on her communicator. With a series of loud bangs, several dozen LEP flash grenades exploded around the room, filling the expanse with a blinding wall of light. The mobsters dropped their guns, shielding their eyes as they stumbled about in a disoriented mess. Jack growled loudly, falling back as he dropped his Beretta onto the floor. Temporarily blinded, the man stumbled into a table, tripping over it violently. As he fell, he grabbed onto the nearest object, trying to stop himself. To his dismay he had grabbed the table mat, and subsequently dragged the food and full glasses of wine that were on it down with him. With a crash he hit the floor, the various items of food and drink covering him messily.

Artemis didn't waste time, he dove for the dagger, grabbing it quickly as chaos filled the room. Butler grabbed the two guards behind him, throwing them several meters into a group of recuperating mobsters. Juliet took on the other two, using her jade stone as she spun about, hitting them in their foreheads with blinding speed with her weaponized hair. As the two men tumbled over, unconscious, numerous other henchmen began to see straight, aiming their weapons once more at the trio, who were now moving to the door. Holly was not going to let that happen.

The elf, still hidden by her shimmer suit, launched herself off of the elephant head, her two neutrinos in hand. Without a moment's hesitation, the elf went all out, blasting any mud man that so much as stood up with stun beams. The shots met their marks, dropping a dozen men immediately, and stunning several others shortly after.

Butler motioned to the door, roaring loudly. "Time to go!" He grabbed Artemis, dragging him into the hall as Juliet and Holly knocked out several more assailants. Victor, though still disoriented, charged at the group, his magnum aimed in their general direction despite his temporary blindness. Juliet sized him up, grinning. _Hello big guy. _ She quickly grabbed the man's arm, jabbing a nerve cluster in his wrist, causing his grip to fail and for the gun to fall to the floor before sending a series of blows into his chest. As the large man stumbled back, she spun around, sending a perfect roundhouse kick right into Victor's face. The massive mobster fell like a sack of bricks, crushing a wooden table like it was made of paper. Juliet quickly ran after her friends, lithely stepping over the mobsters that littered the floor. As the four of them burst into the hall, sirens started to go off, the sound of shouting coming from down the hall. When they were about halfway to the main entrance, a dozen heavily armed guards stepped out into the passage, blocking their path. Butler placed himself in front of Artemis, but otherwise didn't stop; he'd just have to go through them.

Back in the dining hall, dozens of armed individuals began to get off the floor, dispelling the disorientation that had temporarily incapacitated them. Jack Sawyer lay in a pile of food and shattered glass, covered in red wine. He slowly got up, brushing off his suit before realizing it's abysmal state. The man frowned, his eyes murderous.

"That little prick ruined my suit!" He seethed. He looked around, seeing dozens of his comrades lying on the floor, motionless. Even though they were just stunned, Jack couldn't tell the difference in the heat of the moment. With a new look of utter rage he grabbed his pistol, yelling to his men. "After them! Do not let them escape!"

As scores of armed mobsters ran to the hall, Jack looked to Victor, who was just getting off the floor after being hit in the face by Juliet's foot. The large man had his magnum in hand, nodding to Sawyer. Jack nodded in return. "Let's get to work."

Down the hall, the foursome smashed through the defenders, leaving a trail of unconscious guards as they went. Holly hovered overhead, blasting anyone that got close both from behind and in front, sending blue beams into the assaulting forces as they poured from every direction. Butler acted as a battering ram, plowing through anything in his path, making unfortunate people fly into the air like confetti. Juliet snaked in between the attacking mobsters, dodging their attacks and delivering precise blows to their pressure points, sending the men tumbling to the floor like ragdolls. As they dropped, she kicked a gun from another man's grip, leaving him defenseless. The disgruntled mobster stepped back, pulling an ancient naginata from one of the armored figures on display. With a threatening grunt he swung it forward, assuming a low stance. Juliet grinned. _Finally, a challenge. _With a battle cry the man thrust the naginata forward, aiming for Juliet's midsection. The Jade Princess dodged the attack, stepping to the side effortlessly as the blade flew by her. As she did this, the mobster followed through with a broad swing, sending the already extended blade flying after Juliet. With an excited grin, she bend backwards, the blade passing over her with a swoosh as its razor sharp blade sliced the air. Almost immediately, the deadly girl grabbed the weapon by the pole. With a shout she pushed it into it's wielder's gut, the blunt end knocking the breath from him. As he tumbled over two more guards grabbed katanas from other displays, Juliet preoccupied as she swung the blunt end of the blade into another nearby mobster, tripping him before he could fire his rifle. The two mobsters charged in unison, their blades arcing through the air, glinting with deadly intent. Juliet saw them coming, spinning about with her naginata raised. The long pole weapon caught the two katanas as they came down, their sharp blades deflecting just enough as they sliced though the strong wooden pole. She then took the two separate end pieces of the weapon and swung them into the hands of her attackers, making them drop their swords. With an invigorated yell she smashed the two blunt sections of the naginata into their heads, sending them flying several feet before landing in a pile. Amidst all of this, Artemis just ran, yet again displeased by the situation. _Why has this sort of thing become a regular occurrence? _He thought incredulously as he dodged a pile of fallen guards. _I'm a genius for goodness sake, not a soldier!_

As they neared the door, five guards stepped before it, forming a line as they aimed their sub machine guns. Too bad for them they were dealing with Butler, who was on top of them before they could even fire. In a blur of motion, the man mountain collided with the door and the unfortunate guards, blasting them as well as the wooden barrier out into the courtyard, scaring the living day lights out of Mulch Diggums, who was waiting on the doorstep. The dwarf, who was still hidden by his suit, dove into the nearest bush as the large doors flew past him, embedding themselves in the side of a blue Lamborghini. The five guards were more fortunate, though they still ended up unconscious, strewn about the courtyard.

Mulch emerged from the bush just in time to see the the three humans sprint out, the sounds of gunfire chasing them as they ran down the steps. Butler was shielding Artemis from the bullets as Juliet a Holly gave them cover. As they flew down the steps, several armed mobsters ran after them, most of them only to be stunned by Holly. The remaining one had a close encounter with Juliet's fist, an encounter that sent him to the ground alongside the rest of his comrades.

"Mulch, get in the truck!" Artemis yelled as he passed the dwarf's invisible form, somehow knowing exactly where he was. Mulch complied immediately as bullets flew by at random, booking it to the black SUV that was parked a few meters away. Butler unlocked the vehicle remotely as he ran, grabbing Artemis as he did. The bodyguard pulled open the side door and literally threw the boy inside, knowing that he had a much better chance against the soft seats than he did against bullets. After depositing the genius, he got into the driver's seat, most of the others having by now entered the truck as well.

Holly was the last to get in, stunning a few guards as they tried to fire on the truck before flying into the open side door. As she landed within the interior she unshielded, yelling loudly to Butler. "Let's go!"

The bodyguard hardly needed any motivation. "Hold on!" He bellowed as he slammed his foot onto the accelerator, sending the black truck flying forward towards the open gate.

As the vehicle sped up, several dozen heavily armed guards poured from the now smashed doorway, with them coming Jack Sawyer. The angry American raised his own handgun, yelling loudly. "Fire at will!"

The response of several dozen automatic weapons filled the air, the sound of shell casings littering the stone walkway making a bizarre cacophony of metallic pinging. The bullets flew into the fleeing SUV, colliding with its armored surface with a storm of loud bangs. The mobsters kept firing, unloading their magazines upon the ever distancing truck, which didn't even lose control as it was hammered with hundreds of rounds. After about fifteen seconds, the vehicle disappeared into the forest, leaving the small army of vexed criminals with empty magazines and smoking barrels.

Jack stood with his Beretta, now empty, aimed into the night. He motioned to his men, "After them! We can not let them get away with the deaths of our comrades!"

The numerous men and women ran forward, getting into any available vehicle. As they started their engines and floored their accelerators, the mobsters failed to notice the collection of nuts, bolts and screws that littered the entire courtyard, parts that should have been within their vehicles. As Jack watched obliviously, the fleet of cars and trucks began to move out. At first they appeared to be in working order, but after a few seconds, everything fell apart, literally. While they approached the open gate, every one of the active vehicles lurched violently and made rather unhealthy noises. Jack heard the screeching cacophony, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Soon after, each of the vehicles suddenly fell to pieces, their wheels rolling off and their entire undercarriages spilling in every direction, leaving their drivers gaping in surprise. It was like someone had painstakingly undone every single screw and bolt, leaving the vehicles as fragile tinker toys. And of course, that's exactly what had happened, courtesy of a certain kleptomaniac dwarf.

Sawyer couldn't help but grin a little. He looked off into the distance to where the forest road vanished into the night. "Well played kid, well played."

The man turned back to the mansion, seeing Victor walking up to him with a rather relieved look on his face.

"Victor, what's our status? How many did we lose?" Jack asked solemnly.

The Serbian looked perplexed at what he was about to say. "None sir. Though we've sustained forty-three casualties, there are only minor injuries. It appears as though they used some sort of stun weapon."

Sawyer couldn't hide his look of pure surprise and relief. He had never expected such an adversary to use non lethal force in such a situation, and yet Artemis had. Jack nodded slowly, his anger dissipating. "He showed mercy on us...I honestly didn't see that one coming." He looked off into the night, his previous rage now simmered down to almost nothing. If there was one thing in life that he wanted more than anything, it was a normal childhood, but that would never be. He never had a family that he truly could call his own, never had people in his life that were like brothers, at least not until he formed the Chimera Firm. The men and women under his command were very much like his own flesh a blood, people with whom he'd shared much hardship and much adventure. He felt that, despite all that he'd been through, despite the fact that he was a stone cold killer who made a living through other people's misfortune, that he had a family after all. Sure, they weren't the conventional family, instead one that maimed, killed, stole and destroyed, but to him it didn't matter; they were the closest thing he had. There was nothing more he hated than to lose one of his own, and now, upon learning that Fowl, despite having every right to kill, had mercy on the worst of humanity, he could hardly believe it. It blew Sawyer's mind.

Victor looked off into the distance as well. "Should we pursue?" He asked.

Jack shook his head, still lost slightly in thought. After a moment he turned to the man. "No." He said smoothly. "Artemis stole it fair and square, it's only just an old dagger after all. Going after them would just be a headache, and such an endeavor is not worth the lives of anyone here." The crime boss turned back to the night shrouded mountains. "Artemis took it easy on us, so I'll take it easy on him. Sparing our lives has bought him some slack, but he still caused quite a bit of damage, ruined our entire fleet, and made us all look like fools..." He paused, a grin working its way across his features. "Maybe it's time I called in that favor that the Russian Mafia owes me."

Jack reached into his wine stained suit, pulling out his cellphone. "Besides, we can't just let them off so easily, that would make us look bad." He dialed a number, putting the cellphone to his ear. As it rung, he spoke through a very wide grin. "Artemis, if you can survive this, we're even."

**Somewhere in the Alps**

The peaceful night was shattered by the passage of the black truck, its engines roaring as it powered down the narrow mountain road, leaving nothing but clouds of dust in its wake. The sky was still clear, and the wind was calm, but despite the tranquil environment, the vehicle wasted no time, flying along the road with a great sense of urgency. Inside the truck, the occupants held onto their seats, some looking back behind them, half expecting something to give chase.

Juliet Butler sat in the rear with Holly, both of them looking out the rear window with serious expectancy.

"It appears that they aren't chasing us." Juliet said to the others, relieved that they were, so far, home free.

Artemis, who was in the middle, smiled deviously. "Of course they aren't, Mulch made sure of that."

The kleptomaniac dwarf chuckled. "I didn't miss a single part, they must have fallen to pieces like jigsaw puzzles. It must have been priceless, I'll have to get a copy of the surveillance video from Foaly once this is over." Mulch grinned widely, his tombstone teeth making him look slightly terrifying. "Just like old times."

Butler held firmly onto the wheel, driving the truck along the winding roads with practiced control, not at all worried about breaking the speed limit by twice the amount. As they drove, Holly kept looking out the rear window, a perplexed look on her face.

"Still." She said. "Given the amount of power their syndicate possesses, you'd think they would have another means of pursuing us."

"They most certainly do." Artemis nodded. "If they so desired, we'd be in a lot of trouble right now. However, it appears as though they have decided to take it easy on us, most likely for using non-lethal force on them during our escape. That is one aspect of Sawyer that I knew I could count on. Despite his evil nature, he still has a small sense of honor." The boy looked off into the distance, thinking. "But that doesn't mean he won't do something. He can't just allow us to get away so easily, it would damage his reputation, something that is of extraordinary detriment for a man in his position."

"Great." Juliet said, still excited up by the fight. "What can we expect?"

Artemis frowned, contemplating the possibilities. "Quite a bit, though nothing we can't handle."

As the genius finished his utterance, a faint rumble rose from the valley below. They were driving along a sheer cliff, the land far down completely hidden by the darkness. As they rushed down the mountain road, the sound of engines and rotating blades echoed up to them, capturing their attention immediately.

Juliet frowned, hearing the noise with a look of recognition. "Oh crap, you've gotta be kidding me."

Artemis' visage didn't change a bit. "Nope, I'm afraid not."

A light began to shine from below the cliff before them, followed by a strong wind that seemed to assault them purposefully. A second later, a blinding beam of light blasted into their view, though the windows dimmed it so that they could make out its source. There, hovering right in their path, was a fully armed Mi-24 Hind. The Russian attack helicopter, popularly nicknamed the crocodile, hovered in the air, its massive rotors creating a loud roar as it focused on its prey.

"Where did they get one of those!?" Holly yelled from the back, weary of the ex-Soviet gunship's capabilities.

Butler noted the lack of any markings on the aircraft, making a deduction immediately. "It's not theirs, it belongs to the Russian Mafia!" He bellowed as he slammed on the breaks. Just as he did so, the gunship fired a salvo of rockets, sending the deadly projectiles barreling towards the SUV. Butler swerved the truck onto a separate road, dodging the rockets by mere feet, driving away from the helicopter as fast as he could. The explosive projectiles slammed into where they once were, tearing the entire cliff side apart, the explosion shaking the vehicle as it retreated.

As Butler pushed the truck to its limits, he yelled back to the others. "That gunship has heat seeking missiles. If they use them, we're done for!"

"Don't worry about it." Holly said as she crawled from the back, neutrino in hand. "This gun has a flare function. It should be enough to divert them."

Butler nodded. "Alright, get to the opening." He referred to the hatch on the ceiling, where there would usually be turret. In place of it, a highly skilled LEP officer would suffice.

As Holly readied herself by the hatch, a wall of wind blasted into the side of the truck, buffeting the vehicle violently. Butler swerved desperately, avoiding a sheer drop by a few inches, before regaining control. The source of the wind flew up from in front of them, the helicopter barreling into view from behind a bend in the road. As it came for them, Butler floored the accelerator, sending the truck speeding towards the gunship. They couldn't stop or turn around, so their best bet was to take it head on.

"Everybody get down!" The bodyguard roared as they approached the attacking aircraft. Everyone quickly ducked, just as the gunship lit the entire area up with its front mounted four-barrel Yak-B machine-gun, sending a wall of high caliber rounds into the SUV. Butler clenched his teeth as the heavily reinforced vehicle shook violently, the fifty caliber bullets making fist sized dents in the roof, and almost pulverizing the advanced windshield. The gunship kept firing until its target drove under it, turning down the road with surprising ease given it had been lit up like Washington on the fourth of July. It quickly turned about, flying with renewed persistence towards the distancing vehicle.

Inside the fleeing truck, Artemis thought intensely, eying the distant mountains with a tactical demeanor. He then considered the roads, which he had memorized before embarking on the mission, as well as the specific topography around their region. After a few seconds, he grinned. _That will be sufficient._

The boy looked to Butler, who was concentrating on dodging the bullets and rockets that were exploding all around them. "Old friend, I have a plan."

Butler gritted his teeth as another explosion rocked the vehicle, followed by the ping of several large bullets. "Then get to it Artemis!"

The genius nodded. He pointed to the upcoming fork in the road. "I predict that they will fire a heat seeking missile in about thirty seconds. Ignore it, just take the next right through that mountain pass, it will force them to go around." As Butler nodded, Artemis turned back to Holly. "Holly, when those missiles come, fire a series of flares up to the top of the next mountain. Be sure that you timing it perfect as to attract all of them."

The elf powered up her neutrino, her eyes now filled with anticipation. "You can count on me."

Artemis then looked to everyone else, a grin on his face. "The rest of you can simply enjoy the ride."

Juliet laughed excitedly whilst Mulch frowned in dismay. This was the second time he was chased by death while in a black SUV, and he was starting to get tired of it. He mumbled something about rather being in a goblin ghetto as he ducked below the seats, eating whatever he had in his beard without discretion; it was a comfort thing.

Artemis now had his attention on the road ahead. Butler made his way to the passage that the genius had designated, completely confident in the boy's plan. Behind them, the helicopter had stopped shooting its unguided rockets, and was preparing to fire something else. Artemis looked at his watch, counting down the seconds. _Heat-seeking missiles right about..now._

The gunship lit up the sky as it launched four heavy missiles, the large weapons flaming through the sky with blinding speed whilst the aircraft split off to avoid the narrow pass. As they approached the truck, Holly opened the hatch, her neutrino in hand. Looking to the mountain she set the gun to flare mode, lining up the shot. With the missiles no farther than fifty meters, Holly fired a stream of bright red energy fares into the mountain, the glowing orbs lighting up the night with a crimson glare. The missiles, which were almost on top of them, suddenly split off in the direction of the countermeasures, rushing to meet the mountain top. With a loud thump, the projectiles slammed into the snow covered peak, a hot ball of fire rising into the air.

"Done!" Holly yelled down into the vehicle.

Artemis grinned. "Excellent." He stated. "By now they should be circling around to meet us as we emerge from this pass."

"And that's a good thing?" Mulch said worriedly from the back seat.

"The best." The genius said deviously.

The black SUV drove through the mountain pass, the night now oppressing again as they flew through the narrow gap between the giant stone sentinels. After about thirty seconds, they emerged onto the other side, skidding to a halt at Artemis' signal as they turned onto the hill side road. There was a steep cliff behind them, the tall rock formation rising high into the star studded night sky.

"What now?" Butler asked calmly, not at all worried. He simply liked to know how the boy planned to win.

Artemis looked into the night. "We wait."

As they sat there in silence, the sound of the helicopter began to rise again from below them, the faint outline of its spotlight now becoming evident upon the hillside. Along with the gunship's noise signature, another, more ominous rumble, began to rise from behind them. As these two cacophonies grew in intensity, the vehicle's occupants, with the exception of a nervous dwarf, waited calmly. Suddenly, with a whoosh of heavy gusts of wind, the Russian gunship rose into view from the valley below, the aircraft looming over them, not even twenty meters away. As its four-barrel gun began to rotate, Mulch whined from the back.

"Oh great, we're going to be turned into meat puree. I'm only several hundred years old, I'm too young to die!" He said sadly.

Artemis smiled gleefully, speaking with a cunning tone. "Not this time."

As the gunship readied to fire, the rumbling above reached a climax. For the pilots in the gunship, who were isolated by the thick canopy, it was much less noticeable, their line of sight of the mountain above blocked by the steep cliff. At first it appeared as though nothing would happen, but at the very last moment, just a split second before the helicopter opened fire, the loud rumble exploded over the cliff above in the form of an enormous avalanche. The wall of pure white snow, which had been caused by the diverted missiles, spilled over the cliff side, falling ahead towards the hovering gunship, missing the bullet dented truck by a few meters. The pilots veered away, but it was too late, as the avalanche was right on top of them. With a muffled thud the snow slammed into the helicopter, pushing it down into the hillside with its combined weight. The aircraft's rotor blades shattered due to the force of the impact, the tail end of the Russian machine being torn off as it collided with the hill. As the snow continued to pour down, the gunship was taken with it, its now incapacitated form being pushed down the mountain side. After a minute of this, the avalanche came to a halt, the now useless helicopter coming to a rest upright at the bottom of the valley. Inside the truck, everyone cheered, amazed by the perfect timing of Artemis' plan.

"That was totally awesome Artemis!" Juliet cheered, clapping the genius on the shoulder. Everyone else gave similar comments, all except Butler, who sat in the driver's seat with a grin on his face. Despite all of the impossible adventures they had been on, Artemis never ceased to amaze him.

The genius smiled widely, accepting the compliments professionally. After a moment he held up his hands. "Alright, alright. I know that it was a flawless plan, but I believe we have to get this dagger back to Haven as soon as possible." He nodded to Butler, who took the battered vehicle forward once more.

As the truck disappeared into the night, the ruined helicopter below sat in silence. After a few seconds, the thick canopies that covered the two separate pilot seats were pushed open, the snow making them heavier to move. As the wind blew gently through the valley, the two Russian pilots, Mikhael and Kamar, emerged from the craft, swearing profusely. They had managed to get promoted from being low level mafia enforcers a few years ago, even after the egregious debacle with the Fowl hostage incident. Work was good, and when they were told to take a gunship and destroy Artemis Fowl, they had been ecstatic. Now, they were quite the opposite.

"дерьмо!" Mikhael swore as he brushed the snow from his clothes. "I can't believe this shit! He took us out with an avalanche!"

As the large Russian went off into another flurry of expletives, Kamar rubbed his cold hands together, a worried look on his face. "Britva's going to be pissed!" He said apprehensively.

Mikhael gave him a look. "No shit, we just lost a thirty million dollar gunship!"

The large mobster swore again as he put on a thick hat that was sitting in the cockpit. He took out a cigarette, handing another to Kamar before lighting it. As he blew out a thick cloud of smoke, he looked off into the distance. "That's definitely coming out of our yearly bonus."

**Sawyer's Estate **

The estate was in the process of recuperation, the damaged vehicles still strewn about the courtyard in a mess of wheels and other components. On a balcony overlooking the ruined cars below stood Jack Sawyer, now in a fresh suit, looking off into the distance. He watched as the grasses swayed to the breeze, the distant mountains ever silent in their eternal slumber. The door behind him opened, from it stepping Victor, a weird look on his usually impassive face.

"Sir, I just got a call from Britva." He said roughly as he came to stand by his boss.

Jack turned around, an expectant grin on his face. "And?"

Victor cleared his throat, pausing for a second before speaking with slight astonishment. "He says he now needs to buy a new helicopter. It seems as though Fowl managed to destroy their gunship with a well timed avalanche, and escaped without taking any casualties. Britva also made it clear that that's the last favor he owes you."

Sawyer processed the ridiculous story for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Oh man." He said in between chuckles. "That made my week, I bet Britva is pissed."

Victor nodded. "He was indeed very perturbed sir, said that's the second time Fowl ruined his day."

Jack grinned, wiping away a few laughter induced tears. "For sure it is." The man said humorously. After a few more chuckles he recomposed himself, turning around once more to face the brilliant mountain range. "Artemis, it looks like you've earned my full respect. We're even now." He said smoothly. As the winds blew gently past him, he smiled genuinely, looking off into the distance where Fowl had went. "Boy, that kid's got style."

With a final glance into the night, the leader of the Chimera Firm left the balcony, heading into the mansion along with his right hand man. The faint shimmer of mountain snow began to blow through the air above, the white particles dancing in the wind with tender grace. High above in the sky, the moon and stars watched as they always did, witnessing the events that would truly change the world forever.

**Opal's Command Ship**

The air was saturated with pure magic, the sickly red and impenetrable black tendrils snaking rhythmically around the circular chamber in a hellish pattern. Ancient symbols burned like fire in the air, the glyphs spinning around in a chain as they were strung out from the manuscripts that hid them, the stream of archaic dark magic pouring from the ancient artifacts like a relentless tide of evil. Amidst this utterly terrifying whirlwind of power sat the perfectly still form of Opal Koboi, the malicious pixie in a state of absolute concentration, her vast intellect and enormous power working together to unwind the extremely intricate magical threads that were in her way. Her entire being was aglow with crimson fire, the blood like flames all around her, grabbing at the air like living beasts hungry for flesh. Though her eyes were closed, their deadly red glow shined brightly all the same, adding even more entropy to the impossibly chaotic scene around her.

As the magical glyphs burned in the air, the long strands of ancient writing slowly being pieced together from the convoluted safety of the manuscripts, Opal couldn't help but grin, her sharp teeth accentuating her rancorous smile.

_I'm getting close, I can feel it! _She thought, her mind still caught in the firestorm of powerful magic._ Soon, so very soon, it will be mine, and every one of those mortal fools will be burned to ashes! No one will ever challenge me again!_

As the pixie continued her deadly work, the magical storm grew in intensity, its chaos approaching a dooming climax. Time was running out.


	14. Elusion and Dream

_Cool night air blew gently through the Irish countryside, the lush trees and thick green grasses covering the rolling hills that stretched in every direction, a sea of silent nature. Nestled amongst the forests and fields was Fowl Manor, the large castle-like residence dominating one of the many hills, its great windows pouring light out into the dark, like a glimmer of hope amidst an ocean of shadow._

_Artemis stood outside the mansion, his friend, Holly, alongside him. Fowl Manor loomed over him, its grand form reaching into the sky, the architecture that had housed numerous generations before now standing ever strongly before Artemis. He looked to the entrance to his long time home, its large doors strong but welcoming. He didn't know why he was there, but he saw a long awaited sight, one that eased the pain that the last few days had held. There, waiting on the doorsteps, was his family. Fowl Sr. and Angeline stood hand in hand, Myles and Beckett at their feet, though strangely behaved, and his guardians, Butler and Juliet. They all watched him with smiles on their faces, inviting him to join them, to be safe and at peace in the home that he had grown up in, surrounded by those he cared for. Even though the circumstances were a mystery, he had no greater desire now than to be with them, the events with Opal and the brushes with death having made him yearn for the normal reality of family life. Artemis looked to Holly, who gave him a nod, smiling as well. _

"_Go on, Artemis, don't keep them waiting." She said with a grin._

_He turned back to his family, taking a step forward. How free he felt, how hopeful and at peace. It was over, finally he could rest. As the soft wind blew by him, he walked towards his life, the life that he wanted, one without conflict and sorrow, one in which everything was as it should be. His heart sang at the very thought of it, the possibility of a happy ending, a conclusion that made way for a new era, an era of unassailed happiness. He smiled, the tension from all the years now washed away and forgotten. This was what he lived for. Whilst he got closer, his father smiled wider._

"_Welcome home, son." He said warmly, his voice soft yet easily audible from Artemis' distance._

_His mother, Angeline, looked brilliant, her radiant smile lighting up the dark. "Do hurry Arty," She called in a motherly fashion, "It's breezy. I don't want you catching a cold."_

_Artemis was elated. That was his mother all right, ever concerned for his health, if not irritatingly so, though that didn't bother him one bit now. What mattered was that they were just as he knew them to be, their familiar ways a comfort to his soul._

_Myles and Beckett were excited to see him, and despite their ridiculously hyperactive nature, they were reluctantly restrained, no doubt adhering to their mother's orders. They would rather watch the terrifyingly obtuse content of reality television for a month straight before they let their playtime get penalized, so they kept themselves behaved._

_Beside them, the Butlers stood strongly, an ever present force that guarded the Fowls. Artemis looked to them, nodding his welcome. Butler smiled slightly, nodding in return. Juliet waved enthusiastically, smiling widely._

_By now Artemis was only a few dozen meters away, his body screaming to simply run to them, such was his urge to find peace. As he got closer, he called to them._

"_I'm home, everyone." He said with joy. "I love you all so very much."_

_As he finished his utterance there was a sudden change in the atmosphere, catching him off guard. A red glow poured from under the closed doorway, the crimson light shining nefariously. Artemis' eyes went wide, his chest aching with a sudden sense of terror, an impossibly wrong sensation filling the air. He started running, desperately trying to reach his family, who were oblivious. "No!" He screamed, but it was too late. _

_With a horrid sound, the entire manor exploded, a wall of searing heat assaulting the boy as he ran, the force throwing him back like a leaf in the wind. But even as the hot air hit him, he still kept his eyes on those he loved, though part of him wished he didn't. The doorway blew outward, a shower of black and red mist and fire engulfing his family and mentors, their familiar forms disappearing into the storm of death, never to return again. With the great pillars of fire rising into the air, Artemis' whole world came crashing down. As the tall towers of Fowl Manor crumbled to the earth, he screamed, throwing himself towards the fire, part of him still thinking that he could save them. But as he tried to reach the glowing flames, an invisible force threw him back, sending him rolling onto the hard driveway, his body screaming in pain as it was slammed into the hard surface._

_There was a long moment of grief numbed pain, the flow of sorrow washing through him as he lay face down on the hard earth, unwilling to accept what had just happened, unable to even think it a possibility. He looked blankly at the stone beneath him, watching the ashes of his loved ones blow by, the hot wind casting their remains into the air like the delicate petals of a dying flower. He couldn't speak, his voice impeded by sobs and tears, the weight of a thousand suns crushing his heart as he felt his life fade to black. He rose to his knees, screaming with anger and hurt, banging his fists into the ground, not caring as several of his fingers broke. As tears flowed freely, Holly ran to his side, her face just as stricken as his own. She didn't speak. Words were meaningless against what had happened, mere rhetoric incapable of conveying the proper emotions. She held him as he broke down, the small elf consoling the much larger human. He trembled uncontrollably, gasping for air as he sobbed, every fiber of his being in anguish. Pieces of debris rained down around them, but they didn't pay any attention to it, the collapsing mansion falling apart just as their lives had just been torn to shreds._

_As they grieved together before the hungry flames that had consumed their friends and family, a hellish laugh echoed from within the mansion, rising above the roar of the dreadful fires._

"_How deplorably fragile you creatures are." The voice said demonically, utterly devoid of care._

_They both looked up to the source of the speech, the bloody glow rising above even the fire light, the shape of a being taking form as it stood casually in the destruction, flames all around yet completely harmless to it. With another horrid laugh that brought terror to the soul, the being emerged from the flames, stepping insultingly upon the ashes of the Fowls and Butlers. As she emerged completely from the firestorm, Opal Koboi's hateful face smiled devilishly, her sharp teeth and blood red eyes making her look like a monster, which was exactly what she was._

"_Oh I'm sorry, did I interrupt something?" She said evilly, chuckling afterward. "I have to say, I intended to kill them slowly, but your reaction was totally worth it."_

_Artemis glared daggers at the pixie, every part of him wishing for her to die. He hated her with an bottomless hate, his mind filling with images of her demise, desiring for her to suffer, to feel as he did. Yet despite his rage, he couldn't move, nor could he speak. He could only watch._

_Holly, on the other hand, was fully functional, and completely enraged. With a scream that coupled anger and anguish, the elf flew forward, her neutrino in hand. She fired into the pixie with everything she had, the fairy weapon lighting up the air with a storm of deadly energy blasts. Opal sneered as the shots slammed into her, the pulses simply melting away as the pixie absorbed them, her dark magic swirling around her now with deadly intent._

_Despite her obviously ineffective weapon, Holly kept shooting, her face contorted with rage and despair as tears poured from her mismatched eyes. "You bitch!" She screamed, never taking her finger off the trigger, the gun firing endlessly into the evil pixie, who sucked it all in without batting an eye.  
_

_Opal grinned widely, her razor teeth terrifying to behold. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you Short?" She said loftily, motioning with her hand to the elf. A long arm of dark magic blasted into Holly, throwing her back with crushing force. The elf screamed in pain as she landed beside Artemis, her arm broken in a dozen places. She tried to heal, but Opal's magic simply absorbed every drop of Holly's, eating it ravenously._

"_Artemis, run!" Holly said weakly, all her energy being used in her fight against the magic that held her down. Artemis couldn't move, even as Opal slowly closed the distance between them, tauntingly taking her time. Why was he frozen? Why couldn't he do something? He was so utterly useless that it made him sick._

"_Oh Arty, don't cry." Opal said smoothly, her voice mocking and devoid of concern. "I thought you always had a plan, and yet you've already given up." She stopped right before him, the sky around her filled with dreadful magic and burning embers before the endless backdrop of the smoke blackened sky. She looked deep into his eyes, her own gleaming with a crimson light that seemed to have a life of its own. "How pathetic you are without your friends to back you up."_

_Holly gritted her teeth beside him, still fighting the magical force that held her with an astonishing amount of persistence. Opal looked to the elf, then back to Artemis._

"_How about we play a little game." She stated deviously. With a flick of her wrist, her magic flew into action, the tendrils of black and crimson energy forming together into a gigantic beast, its enormous mouth filled with glowing red teeth, and its numerous eyes gleaming with a feral madness. It was a creature truly straight out of hell, something of such horrid appearance that there was no other way to describe it. Opal lifted Holly off of the ground, moving her to face the beast, laughing with sick anticipation. Artemis' eyes went wider than they already were. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he could speak._

"_No!" He screamed._

_Opal stopped her action, leaving Holly floating a few feet from the gigantic magical maw. The pixie looked at Artemis, tilting her head. "You want me to stop? That will cost you." She knelt down, one of her hands now glowing with a tiny spark of dark magic. "If you want to save your friend, you must sacrifice yourself. In particular, you must be devoured by my magic. It's an extremely slow and painful process, one that will keep you alive until the very last moment. You will feel everything, every cell in your body as it is torn from this realm. How does that sound?"_

_Holly screamed from in the air. "Don't listen to her Artemis!" _

_The boy took a deep breath, weighing his egregiously limited options, though he knew he only had one. What other choice did he have? With a resolute voice, Artemis responded to Opal, "I will do it."_

_The pixie grinned vivaciously. "Very well, Fowl." She moved her hand to touch the boy on the chest. "Have fun, I know I will."_

_The magic tore into Artemis' very essence, filling him with an excruciating pain that was beyond anything he ever thought possible. He tried to scream, but his voice was again gone, as was all of his strength. He could see the dark magic working its way up from his feet, its slow passage turning his extremities to dust. Opal was right, he could feel every tiny piece of his body as it was ripped apart, as though his senses had been amplified tenfold for the sole purpose of experiencing agony in its fullest._

"_Artemis!" Holly screamed from above, her voice desperate._

_Opal watched with sick humor, her eyes gleaming hungrily as they lapped up the wonderful view of complete suffering. "How does it feel, human? Is it worth the life of your friend?"_

_Artemis looked at Opal, his eyes enormously pained, but also filled with courage. He struggled to talk, and after a few seconds managed to enunciate a few words. "Anything...is...worth it." He rasped, his eyes turning to Holly. She was utterly shocked._

"_Artemis..." She said weakly, completely amazed by his character, that he would undergo such pain for her. It was a show of complete selflessness._

_Opal's face showed a slight bit of vexation. Clearly she hadn't predicted such a show of strength from the boy, and now that she saw it, she had to put an end to it._

_Artemis kept his eyes on Holly, even as the magic reached his midsection, never leaving her gaze as death slowly engulfed him. She looked back at him in the same way, her eyes unblinking despite the sea of tears that flowed from them. The bond between them was unbreakable._

_Koboi spoke again, now with a tone that meant it was all over. "By the way, Artemis, I think that I may just have to revoke that little promise I made." She pointed a finger at Holly, eliciting the response of the magical beast. It opened its maw wide, roaring with a terrifying loudness at the small elf before it. _

_Artemis gaped with horror. "N...n...no." He managed to utter, his voice dying in strength. Opal laughed as the beast closed in on Holly, who was again trying to escape from her bonds. It was useless. With a sickening crunch and a shower of blood, the beast engulfed Holly Short, Artemis' best friend. With a whimper the boy watched, all the while assaulted by Opal's insane laughter._

"_Well, I guess that concludes it!" She leered. She knelt down by Artemis again, who was now lying flat as the magic reached his neck, somehow keeping him alive despite losing his entire torso along with most of his vital organs. As his vision began to fade, Opal met his weak gaze, her eyes taunting him even in death. When she spoke, it was with a voice so evil it made his nonexistent body tremble. "Goodbye, Artemis Fowl. Give your dead friends my regards." After she spoke, the magic engulfed him completely, and everything went black._

Artemis screamed, his eyes opening frantically as he shot up from his sleeping position. The images filled his head, horror and sickness and agony coming along with them. He breathed heavily, cold sweat covering his body as he trembled with fear. After a moment, someone spoke to him.

"Artemis? You alright?"

It was Holly, who was standing next to him. She looked at him with a worried expression, one that made Artemis' anguish fade away. The boy sat back in the seat, letting out a huge sigh of relief. _Thank god, it was just a dream. _He thought, his elevated heartbeat slowing down gradually as he calmed himself, pushing the haunting images only slightly outside of his consciousness. He turned to Holly, nodding with appreciation. "I'm fine, just a bad dream." He looked around, noting that the shuttle compartment was empty save him and Holly. "How long was I out, where is everyone?."

The elf grinned. "You've been sleeping like a baby since we left for Haven, not a surprise given that you haven't rested for days." She motioned to the open shuttle door. "We just arrived, everyone's waiting outside for you."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked curiously, wishing he'd been roused before the horrid nightmare had developed.

The elf laughed. "Nobody wanted to disturb you, except for me of course. I was just about to wake you, but you beat me to it." She punched him on the shoulder, grinning at him friendlily.

Artemis smiled back, for once ignoring the painful throbbing that the elf's playful punch caused. He was enormously glad to see her, even more so after just witnessing her death in a dream far more real than any lucid one could ever be. With a grunt, the boy stood up, his limbs stiff from sitting for hours. He absentmindedly brushed off his suit, making sure it was in perfect order before looking back to Holly. "Let's go, shall we?" He asked.

The elf nodded, strolling with the genius to the door, the sounds of the recuperating city snaking in through the opening. As Artemis walked, his hand brushed his pocket, feeling the form of the ancient dagger. He stopped, taking it out carefully. His eyes ran over its surface, the small shaped stone that was the only thing that could stop Opal. He held the very fate of the world in his hands, and for once it made him afraid, a feeling of anxiety rising in his chest. _How such a small thing can decide the destiny of this earth. _He thought. _And it is I that must confront Opal with it. _

He couldn't help but grimace slightly. He had already had one close encounter with the insane pixie, and the thought of taking her on again was very unpleasant, even more so due to the completely horrifying dream he'd just experienced. Yet all the same he knew that it was his responsibility. He'd been Opal's mortal enemy for years, it was fitting that he be the one to help finish it.

Stepping out of the shuttle, Artemis was hammered by the warm air that blew from the massive magma chute, which was only a few dozen meters away. For once he didn't care as it messed up his usually immaculate hair, his mind on the things that actually mattered, things that would dictate the future of everything. Amidst the noise of the surrounding hangars, everyone else waited by the craft, another transport en route to take them to the police plaza. Butler nodded to the prodigy as he approached. Artemis looked to the man.

"I do apologize for my tardiness, old friend." He stated professionally. "It appears as though the last few days have been catching up to me."

The bodyguard gave him a caring look. "Don't worry about it Artemis. If there's anyone who deserves a break, it's you."

The boy frowned, adjusting his suit absentmindedly with slight anxiety, the weight of the impending situation starting to bear down on him. "Perhaps." He said. "But regardless, rest is a luxury we cannot afford, not now." Artemis looked to the air as an LEP shuttle approached, his face ever cast in thought. "I do believe we have some business to attend to at police plaza. There are some warlocks who would love to get their hands on a certain dagger." He turned back to his friends, individuals whom he'd recently seen perish in that visceral nightmare. Though his face was almost impassive, inside he couldn't help but feel enormous worry and fear. He never wanted such a dream to come to pass, yet his constantly processing mind was giving him some rather unsettling odds.

_To hell with the odds!_ He silently told his calculative side. He would rather die then let percentages decide their fate, not when they'd been defying them for years. But all the same, the thought of his friends being dragged again into ruthless conflict made him feel sick. He was sure that they had had enough of that for one lifetime, he most certainly felt that way.

The group waited as the shuttle landed upon the hangar surface, Artemis standing at the forefront. The boy was again cast in intense thought, the deep lines of worry and stress wrinkling his youthful face. Behind him, Holly watched with a worried look, knowing all too well what Artemis' expression tried and failed to obscure.

**Haven – Police Plaza**

Activity whirled around the police HQ, the previously half destroyed building now fully repaired, its many thousands of data relays and defense systems completely functional, running like clockwork. Dust was cast into the air as shuttles and transports landed around the plaza, unloading all sorts of troops and supplies in the LEP's ever continuous effort to bolster their defenses, which had already reached a level ten times that of the previous system, making Haven an almost impregnable fortress.

Within the station was an equal level of organized commotion, the command room an ever hectic beehive of officers and technicians. Amidst the flurry of action, inside the advanced confines of Foaly's newly constructed ops booth, the loud cries of laughter resounded. The centaur laughed relentlessly as he watched the surveillance footage from the previous night on the numerous screens at his disposal, his face red from the humor. The footage was currently covering his friends' escape from the courtyard, just as the entire mobster fleet fell apart piece by piece. Boy was it good to record things.

Ever since Butler beat up the troll back during the Fowl Incident, Foaly had made sure to record every adventure that they went on, knowing perfectly well that the footage would be a source of endless amusement later. He didn't at all feel bad about taking a break from the tiring work he'd been carrying out for the last few days, mainly due to the fact that he had done everything he could possibly do, and now had a bit of free time as he waited for Artemis' return.

"Oh man." He breathed, his voice tired from laughing. "Mud men are so amusing to watch."

With an overly amused expression, Foaly looked through the footage some more, drinking carrot juice absentmindedly as he did so. Whilst the centaur continued his antics enjoyment, the door to the ops booth slid open, through it pouring the professional noise from the adjacent command room. The two powerful warlocks, Quan and his apprentice, Nº1, entered Foaly's security room with rather tired gaits, their faces drawn with weary lines. They had been spending all of their time helping the countless wounded, using their skillful magic to heal wounds that even the medical warlocks couldn't hope to ameliorate. After carrying out hundreds of such healings, despite their enormous power, they were quite exhausted.

Quan cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the distracted centaur who, in his entertainment, hadn't even noticed the two individuals enter. Foaly spun around in his custom swivel chair, a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

"Oh!" He said, grinning sheepishly. "You need something?"

Quan raised an eyebrow curiously. "Nice to see that raise you recently acquired in full effect." He looked to the monitors, noting the footage upon them, in particular the scene of the Butlers and Holly smashing through dozens of armed mobsters whilst Artemis ran for his life. "I assume that Artemis has accomplished his mission?"

Foaly quickly composed himself, wiping the embarrassment from his face before assuming a more professional expression. "Yes." He said, a slight bit of anxiety still in his voice; he disliked being scolded by anyone, his inflated ego very fragile despite its size. He motioned to the screens, a grin already destroying his formal composure. "They made quite a mess in the process, but everything went as expected." He chuckled as he watched Butler send the mansion's front doors into the side of a Lamborghini.

It was Nº1's turn to cock his eyebrows. "This sort of thing is normal?" He asked curiously. "Such a series of events occurred during the Paradizo incident, but I assumed that such was an abnormality." The young demon looked quite perplexed.

Foaly grinned. "Oh, there's no mistake." He stated. "That's just another day in the office for them." He felt a great deal of amusement as the imp's visage twisted into an even greater look of befuddlement. Taking advantage of the moment, Foaly clicked a specific satellite footage file, a very wide grin on his face. "Hey, wanna see something cool?" He asked mischievously.

Quan was about to protest when Nº1 spoke up, excitement on his face. "Oh yes, indeed, definitely, affirmative!" The young warlock said in an almost childish fashion, halting his teacher's impending disapproval. Quan couldn't help but grin; despite being a powerful warlock with a mindset far older than his actual age, Nº1 still had a bit of childish enthusiasm left in him.

Foaly switched on the satellite footage, setting it to the largest screen. It depicted the truck in which Artemis and the others were, the vehicle fleeing through the massive mountains as a human attack helicopter pursued it. The gunship fired a salvo of missiles, and for a moment it seemed as though evasion was impossible, but at the last moment they deployed a series of flares, sending the missiles into the mountain. As the helicopter was forced to circle around the mountains, the three watched as the avalanche began to form high above the pass that the SUV was taking. As the gunship came around, they immediately made the connection.

"No way." Nº1 said to himself, his face etched with stupefaction.

"Yes way!" Foaly stated flamboyantly, throwing up his arms with gusto as the avalanche fell onto the helicopter. The centaur's enthusiasm amalgamated with the ridiculously theatrical display upon the screen, making it dexterously discernible that he was way past the point of having too much fun; it was a total amusement implosion.

"Brilliant." Said a deeply impressed Quan, who was clearly trying to ignore Foaly's partially disturbing behavior. "He managed to predict the exact movements of the helicopter along with the probability and velocity of the avalanche so that they would collide at precisely the right moment. If he were but a small increment off in his calculations, his plan would have failed horribly."

Foaly chuckled more as he watched the enormously flummoxed pilots rage tactlessly whilst they climbed from the crashed chopper. "That's what I've come to expect from him. He's pretty brilliant for a human." The centaur's attention was grabbed by a silent notification upon one of his consoles, the signal slightly calming his exuberant mood. "Speaking of criminal masterminds, it appears that one has just entered the building."

Outside of the enormously advanced room, at the far end of the command center, the large set of double doors slid open. As they opened, the distorted shadows of the individuals outside stretched into the room, foreshadowing a group of legends.

The fairy officers within the room, with the exception of several overly pompous officials, stopped what they were doing to see the newcomers, the people that had saved their lives on a regular basis. Artemis Fowl led his friends, his gait strong and purposeful, an air of supreme preponderance washing from his confident demeanor. It was a presence that many would not attribute to an individual of his appearance, though it was there all the same, the thin and unimposing young man seemingly carrying the power of an emperor and the character of a wise old scholar. He didn't hesitate for a moment upon entering the room, and not a single being present could see the emotion behind his impervious mask, the boy's visage like a wall of brilliant alabaster stone. Such composure came naturally to him, especially when he wanted to hide his feelings.

Artemis quickly crossed the room, nodding to Trouble Kelp as he went, his real attention on the ops booth where he somehow knew the two warlocks were. Behind him, Holly Short kept pace, along with the two Butlers. Nobody knew where Mulch had went, though it was obvious that he was up to no good. Commander Kelp caught Holly's attention with a look in her direction and the slightest of expressions. He clearly wanted a report on the events above ground asap, though for now Holly simply returned the look with one of her own, much more concerned for Artemis than for the boring protocols of the LEP. To her surprise, Trouble backed off. _Am I really that terrifying? _She thought, again following Artemis to the ops booth.

"Artemis, it's good to see you and your friends made it back unscathed." Quan welcomed as he emerged from the ops booth, a rather giddy looking Nº1 behind him. By now the room had reverted back to its usual chaos, everyone attentive on their tasks. Despite this, the warlock's voice carried through the air with practiced grace, clear and prominent above the noisy environment.

Artemis grinned slightly, his face otherwise composed. "I appreciate your concern, though it is well established that we have a tendency to carry out difficult tasks with little issue, and given that dealing with Sawyer was more of a first grader field-trip to the zoo than an actual mission, the outcome was obvious."

The old warlock cocked an eyebrow. "So being chased by dozens of murderous humans and almost getting blown up by missiles is akin to infantile endeavors? I have to ask, what does qualify as an actual challenge for you?"

"No that much in all honesty." The genius replied. "Though cooking and that abysmal thing called dancing are at the top of that short list." He couldn't help but recall the time he made an attempt at simple pancakes. He almost burned the manor down, and ended up creating grotesque deformities that doubled as bullet proof plates.

The warlock smiled. "Ah, Fowl's great weaknesses, culinary arts and artistic choreography." He chuckled briefly before becoming more serious, his face giving an expectant look. "But alas, before we digress further, I believe that you have something very important for me."

Artemis reached into his pocket, procuring the ancient dagger that was their very hope and salvation. With careful hands, he gave the artifact to Quan, who didn't take hold of it immediately. His hand hovered over the blade cautiously, and Artemis could have sworn he saw a flicker of black energy lick from the blade, but it quickly disappeared. The warlock closed his eyes, chanting something incomprehensible as he grabbed the dagger. For a moment there was a brief hiss and the faintest of sparks of energy when Quan made contact. However, such things were very terse, passing so quickly that they almost didn't seem to happen. Quan took deep breath, ending his chant before opening his eyes. For all that it was, grabbing the small knife seemed to tire him out enormously. Noticing Artemis' concern, he gave a reassuring smile.

"No need to worry." He said. "Coming into contact with a magical artifact such as this can have considerable effects upon highly powerful mages such as myself if they don't take the necessary precautions. When a magical force of such darkness as this comes into contact with the pure magic of a warlock, it could react very dangerously." He looked at the blade quizzically. "This one is enormously powerful, though it was easy enough to put under control given I had time to prepare a certain spell designed specifically for this." He took another deep breath, smiling widely. "But despite the horrid power that this holds, it is no less an honor to behold a piece of arcane history with my own eyes."

Holly, who was doing her best to wait patiently, decided to make him get to the point, her tolerance for the discourse of academia rather low. "Alright, alright." She said uncouthly, arms crossed from the boredom. "We've got it here, now can you tell us where this thing is pointing to? I don't think Opal is wasting time goggling excitedly over her artifacts, so I doubt we should."

Quan didn't hide his surprise. Clearly he wasn't all too accustomed to fiery females like Holly, though it would do him good to get used to it.

"I'm sorry to say, but I can't answer that immediately." He said sorrily, not wanting to make the elf any more agitated. "In order to unlock the links formed by this artifact, Nº1 and I need to perform some rather intricate spells upon it. However, the procedure will not take nearly as long as Opal's, in fact it should only consume a few hours."

Quan looked to Nº1, who seemed very eager to get to work on the artifact. "I guess now we'll see whether you've been paying attention to all of the lessons I've been giving you." He said.

The demon imp didn't look fazed at all. "There's no need for a practical test to ascertain my adherence to my studies. I can recite every teaching you've given thus far, all five thousand three hundred and seventy-six hours of lecture and the applicable spells."

Quan did not look at all surprised. Instead he nodded, as though he expected as much. "Good." He said, turning back to Artemis. "We will need complete privacy for this, thus we will be in a prefabricated chamber isolated beneath this building. It will provide the optimal environment for the procedure." He didn't turn around, but still projected his voice into the ops booth behind him. "Foaly, it is ready, isn't it?"

"Of course." The centaur called back, his ego somewhat hurt by the warlock doubting him. "I'll make sure that nobody disturbs you and whatever sort of weird stuff that's happening in there." He paused. "And by the way, Artemis, that was freakin' crazy awesome what you did with the chopper. If I was a mud man I'd upload it to youtube, get a million hits in no time." He laughed from the confines of the ops booth, again watching Artemis' handiwork.

Quan gave Artemis a certain look. _He's been like this for hours, _it said.

The boy smiled. _You don't say. _His own expression stated in return.

There was a long awkward silence as Foaly continued his rather unprofessional behavior, the sudden lack of coordination throwing their conversation on an egregiously derailed tangent. After a moment, Quan took the initiative and broke the unpleasant quiescence, his voice calm and to the point.

"Well, then...I guess now's the time to take our leave." The warlock looked to his apprentice. "Let's go, young one. It's time for all those lessons to pay off."

With a nod to Artemis and the others, the two warlocks left the command room, haste now evident in their steps. As they did this, Artemis scrunched his face in obvious contemplation, the intensity of his visage plainly stating that the nature of such thought was unpleasant. They'd beaten the new Opal once already, and now they had the tool necessary to end her, yet he felt horrible. He reasoned that it was probably just the aftereffects of the dream he'd had coupled with the annoying teenage emotional paradigm, thereby throwing in negativity by default. But despite all of his logic, there was no release from the dread he'd been feeling, a constant pressure upon his very soul that never relented in its torment. Artemis' thought cast face grimaced slightly. He was the smartest human in the world, better than even most fairies as well, if not all of them. He'd run a criminal empire like a master of the craft as a child, outsmarted the LEP on numerous occasions, beaten countless foes, overturned entire criminal organizations with but a gesture, all within the time span of less than a decade. Even with all of his power, all of his intellect, and even the dark recesses of his once criminal mind, he could not beat simple emotion. What was it that made it so impervious? Why was such ubiquitous feeling so impossible to escape?

"Well Fowl, I hate to say this but you got the job done, minus the needless mess you made." Commander Kelp said loudly, interrupting he boy's tense cogitation, throwing him off canter for only a fraction of a second before he could assume his always perfect demeanor. Usually the change would be immediate, but he found himself slower than usual, for obvious reasons that no less made him frustrated.

Kelp had long since ceased his quite patience. Now he was all orders and demands, just as his rank should be.

"Though I still think that it would have been more efficient to have a retrieval team carry it out. We could have been finished long before you would have on your little field trip." He didn't hide the irritation in his voice. He still didn't very much like Artemis. The boy grinned very slightly; some things never change.

"I do appreciate your criticism, and indeed it may have been better had we done it your way..." Artemis stated smoothly, adjusting his cufflinks. "...But what's done is done. There is no need to rethink the past, even if you could change it with a bit of help from Quan. It would only end up wasting the valuable time that is ever running out."

Trouble frowned with obvious annoyance. Still, he decided not to press Artemis any further, knowing that any sort of verbal argument with the boy would end in utter defeat. But it was not only this that put him off, it was the way Artemis looked; despite his composure, he appeared severely tired, not just physically, but within his very being. Kelp wasn't absolutely sure given Artemis' monumental self control, but regardless, he couldn't help but slightly worry for him, though he didn't show it. Showing that he felt for the kid was not in his job description, nor in the more dominant half of his mind.

Artemis looked to Butler, who was ever vigilant despite Juliet getting rather distracted by Foaly's pimped out room. The large man was immediately attentive to his charge, returning the look with eyes that showed compassion and understanding.

Artemis smiled thinly. "Old friend, it appears that we have some time to relax whilst Quan and Nº1 do their work." _Though relaxing is the last thing I could feasibly do right now. _"You and Juliet should take a break. I'll just be outside."

Butler didn't protest fully, though he showed signs of worry. "Are you sure? I am obligated to stay near you at all times."

The boy smiled again, touched by the massive bodyguard's concern. Nonetheless, he needed to be alone. _At least I think I do..._ "There's no need, friend, I just need to think."

The man nodded, letting himself, albeit reluctantly, relax. He watched as Artemis left, his eyes on him until he left the room. All the while, Holly watched, ever worried sick for the boy. Something was wrong, but being Artemis Fowl, he would never tell anyone, not unless he were pressured into doing so. The elf officer still held her gaze on the young prodigy, even after the door closed behind him, the image of him walking down the halls in her mind's eye. As she did this, Kelp approached her, an all business attitude now covering his visage. _Oh gods, just leave me alone. _She thought as she saw him from the corner of her eye. She didn't have the time nor the patience for this.

"Captain Short." He called firmly. "I need that report on my desk pronto. After that I need you to-"

"Shut it Commander." She stated acrimoniously, fed up with him already. "Since when have pointless wads of paper recounting what we already know saved anyone?!"

Everyone else in the room had completely stopped what they were doing, all eyes now on the clearly bitter exchange taking place. Butler and Juliet, though within Foaly's ops booth, were also watching, though they didn't interrupt; this was between Holly and Trouble.

Trouble gritted his teeth. "It's your duty, Short, as it is mine."

"Duty?" She said incredulously. "If you had any shred of duty or honor you would at least treat Artemis with respect! He's saved your d'arviting rear end more times than you could count!"

Kelp was starting to get furious. "You dare talk to your commanding officer that way?!" He yelled, his face becoming as red as Root's used to be.

Holly didn't even flinch. "I do his job to protect these people, not to argue with the likes of you, who seem to value mere paperwork more than the well-being of our friends!"

Holly stormed out of the room, heading in the direction Artemis had went. She no doubt had something of far greater importance on her mind, thus her fiery assault on that which sought to impede her. Trouble stood there, his face stricken with both anger and regret, trying to figure out what had just happened. Everyone else was equally as shocked, the silence in the room now reaching an unbearable level. Kelp was angry at her for such uncouth behavior, but at the same time he understood her motives. She cared for Artemis more than he ever could, and whilst the boy was obviously suffering inside, he was making a fuss over field reports. Even worse for him, it was made a spectacle before all of his chief officers, who were now uncertain what to do. He suddenly felt ashamed. He was the commander of the LEP forces, and he had acted like a fool.

Trouble turned to his officers, an apologetic look on his face. "As you were."

Whilst everyone started to make an effort at resuming their tasks, Mulch Diggums stuck his head up from under a desk, a handful of wallets and other personal effects tucked away in his beard.

"Jeez, what was that all about?"

**Haven City **

Artemis sat upon the roof of the police plaza, the vantage point giving him a full view of the burnt out city, which was an ever present panorama of a great creature now half dead. Warm wind blew past him as ships flew by, the air's force rustling his hair and clothes into a rather careless state. Not that he cared about such things now. The worries of his past were but insignificant drops of water in an ocean of sand, instantly absorbed whilst leaving no trace of their passage, devoured ruthlessly by greater things. Noise resounded sharply through the air, though it was slightly averted by the wind, making it seem farther away. The building he was upon was surrounded by activity, the entire area filled with emergency crews and heavy duty machinery, and yet he'd never felt so alone. The whole world could have been before him, but it would feel as though he were isolated inside a lonesome reality, hidden and cold.

He clenched his teeth, trying to avoid the thoughts that surfaced from not only the nightmare, but from the horrid events of the last week. He saw, felt, and smelt death. He could even taste it, its stench frighteningly identifiable within his mouth, almost making him gag. Yet it was all in his head - flashes of doom and loss, of sadness and ruin, of his family and friends falling into the eternal embrace of death. He ran from them, but they followed him. He fought them, but they persisted against him. They were unstoppable forces that sought to drive him mad, a swarm of ethereal locusts within the confines of his being. His hands drew themselves into fists. Why could he not escape them? He knew the past events were traumatic in nature, that they would no doubt be ingrained within his mind forever, but even so, why must they so ruthlessly pester him now? When everyone depended upon and protected him, how could he protect them in turn when he couldn't even control himself?

The thought of it made him queasy. So much had been lost already, yet he'd managed to hold onto those he loved, even just barely. He couldn't ignore the fact that such a grip could fail, that he could lose them in this war, that even with his greatest of efforts, not everyone would make it through. He told himself that it would be different, that they would come through as always did, damaged but very much alive. Such self talk did little to ease his worry. After experiencing so much pain and loss in a dream that felt completely real, even after waking, the anxiety and torment still followed him, taunting him just as Opal would.

He shook with a sudden cold as he thought of Koboi, her evil persona and even more evil deeds taking the forefront of his mind. Going against her was a daunting task, one that would cost a lot of blood. He could only selfishly hope that the blood did not belong to his companions.

As he sat there upon a hill of melancholy, footsteps were heard directly behind him. He didn't bother turning, he knew who it was, though he still felt a certain amount of shock and joy bordered sadness at the elf's appearance. Holly came up behind him cautiously, not wanting to startle him in fear of breaking his concentration. _Not that I'm actually concentrating on anything beneficial. _Artemis thought sadly as she came to sit down next to him.

They sat there together in silence for what seemed like an eternity, neither knowing completely what to say as they looked into the sullen cityscape before them. Holly was the one to break the fragile reticence.

"Artemis, I know you're tying to hide your true feelings from us, from me." She began softly. "Ever since you woke up in the shuttle, you've been completely difference. Despite your best efforts to mask it, you look hurt and afraid, like something dreadful is about to happen." She paused, the wind now gentle as it swirled by the two of them. "What happened in that dream, Artemis? You can tell me anything, I swear I will never speak of it." She took a deep breath. "You just can't hold these things in, it will only destroy you. Trust me, I know what it's like."

Artemis didn't move physically, but inside his heart and soul were shaking, yearning for comfort as a starved man yearns for even the smallest of crumbs. He didn't want to bother them needlessly with his own issues, bringing more discomfort to an already horrid situation. Yet with the reassuring presence he felt beside him, such resistance was empty, a wall made of air. He let go of his secrecy, speaking for the first time upon the roof with a mixed sense of relief and tension.

"The dream felt real, just as real as being here is, far more than any lucid dream could be" He coughed, shaking the dread he felt upon purposefully remembering it. "I saw Opal kill everyone...My mother and father, Myles and Beckett, Butler and Juliet, and...you." He couldn't stop his eyes from watering, the experience now back in full force, a living, breathing shadow of anguish. "I was useless, I couldn't do anything as they burned, and even when I did my best she killed you anyway." He was shaking now. "I lost everything that mattered to me, and I could do nothing against it, not a single damn thing to save you or anyone else." His voice was shaky, mirroring his anguish. "Opal won, and she laughed as we died."

There was a moment of silence once more, raw emotion tangible in the air. Holly was shocked at the notion of experiencing such a horrid dream, but her voice was somehow calm and firm, unshakable. "That's not going to happen, Artemis. Together we will win, and in the end there will be peace and happiness and hope. I know that for a fact."

Artemis shook his head. "How I wish I could believe that, but even now, I just can't shake the feeling that defeating her will cost far more than anyone can imagine..." He brushed away tears. "I've made thousands of estimations, and in all of them we lose a friend, I just can't seem to find the odds that favor us."

Holly's voice was filled with steel, yet gentle. It eased Artemis' sharp pain like a salve upon a wound. "And since when have odds dictated our survival?"

Artemis couldn't hold back a slight grin, the expression, though just barely, causing the worried wrinkles by his eyes to fade. "Not a single time..."

Holly grinned. "That's right, mud boy." She punched him on the shoulder, though lighter than usual.

The playful gesture brought Artemis' mind fully to Holly, to their times together, to all of the suffering and hardship that they braved together, and all the wonderful moments and exciting adventures they'd had. The flood of warming memories clashed with the horrid images from his dream, visions of his friend being slaughtered mercilessly by Opal, crushed like an insect by jaws of dark magic. The antithesis of each side made him lose all control, the goodness of one cast with the sadness of the other making it all too hard to bear. Artemis, the genius who was always in control, broke down. _Dammit! I'm crying!? _How could he not? Such sweet memories made him cherish Holly all the more, and made the thought of losing her exponentially as painful.

"Artemis..." Holly said softly, enormously concerned.

"I just..." He tried to make out between sobs. "..I don't want to lose you."

As he tried to calm himself to no avail, Artemis felt Holly clasp him by the shoulder. He turned to her, wiping away the tears so he could see clearly. She was facing him now, looking straight into his eyes. Oh god, her eyes, those brilliant mismatched eyes, they looked into the depths of a soul even so guarded as his own. For only a brief moment he felt a pang of guilt over no longer having one of her hazel eyes, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by an impossible comfort, a completely unpredicted feeling of warmth. Amidst the valley of Artemis' melancholy, the faint outline of light began to grace the hills, the jagged dark clouds becoming brighter and softer, the frigid air slowly fading into warmth.

The faint beginnings of tears were now present in Holly's eyes, the hard steel of her character intertwined with a tender kindness that only the greatest of friendships could nurture.

"I don't want to lose you either."

"Holly-" Artemis began.

"You are not alone in this, remember that!" Her caring eyes were filled with strength and assurance, an iron fortitude that refused to be bent. "No matter what happens, we will face this together, I promise!"

Holly pulled Artemis into a tight embrace, and for a moment it seemed as though the whole world stood still, frozen in a perfect moment, unwilling to let it go. He held her close, the joy and peace that it brought washing over him like a wave of warm, fresh air. As they embraced, the hills over the dank valley that was Artemis' mind suddenly exploded with light as the sun shone its brilliant rays unto the cold earth, chasing away the shadows and ghosts that haunted him, blazing them to ash with its unrivaled purity. He could feel the fear and pain melt away into nothingness, their presence gone as though they had never been, clouds vanished into a pure blue sky. It was a moment he would never forget, it was perfection in all of its many ways, and even as dirt and ash blew past them in the smoke laced air, their world had never felt so pure and free.

**Unknown Magma Chute – Five Hours Later**

There was darkness, an oppressing black soup that made anything tangible seemingly nonexistent, a shroud of mystery. Silence dominated the stale smelling atmosphere, further accentuating the feeling of nothingness that seemed to drip from the very air itself. It was a world that embodied nightmares and dreams, a world of emptiness, a blank dark canvas upon which one's imagination could paint horrid works of art.

From the distance, a deep, faint sound began to rise, echoing from untold miles away. The adumbrating noise continued to rise in volume, followed by an ever growing speck of light, though small and insignificant within the opaque environment. A lone LEP stealth interceptor cut through the darkness, its sleek frame making it akin to a tiny fish in a gargantuan ocean. As it passed through the mysterious shadow, its high powered lights illuminated the cave walls around it, though only enough to make out the faint lines of jagged stone and razor sharp stalagmites and stalactites, their looming forms making the ancient chute resemble the maw of an enormous beast.

In the distance, a few dozens miles down the archaic tunnel, a teasing red glow resided. The stealth ship traveled the distance in a matter of seconds, reaching the source of the light almost immediately. As it did, the already gigantic cave expanded into an even greater monstrosity, its width now reaching seven miles, whilst its height vaulted to over twice that. Its ceiling, however, was vastly limited due to the ubiquitous stalactites that seemed to grow like weeds upon the ancient stone, their solid forms ranging from a few dozen meters in length to skyscraper sized spears. Huge holes were present in the bottom of the cave, steaming with molten lava, the scorching fires lighting the cave with a bloody hew, though there seemed to be another source of crimson light which was seemingly invisible. The LEP ship blasted into the great chamber, traveling down its length. The cave continued for at least a few dozen miles before ending at a perfectly flat wall of impossibly smooth stone, the seemingly constructed material standing out against the otherwise natural rock that formed the rest of the cave, making it deductible that it was placed there purposefully by an arcane force. There the ship stopped, slowing to a hover above the glowing pockets of lava, the great wall looming over it.

Within the interceptor, the now dutiful Grub Kelp looked at the ginormous barrier before him, then to the coordinates upon his navigation system. There was no mistaking it; behind the great wall towering above his ship was the location of the Gate, as per the instruction given to him by Quan.

The elf cleared his throat as he switched on his comm link.

"Commander, location has been verified. We've got it."


	15. Consilium Militarium

**Haven - Police Plaza**

The newly refurbished council chamber was brimming with anticipation, the sound of intense conversation and nervous whispers reverberating around the room, creating an air that smelt of an impending event of monumental proportions, one that would decide the fates of countless lives.

Situated about the room were all of the LEP's top officers and advisers, including Commander Kelp, Captain Short and Foaly. Along with them were the higher ranking human personnel, though only a handful apart from Commander Ivankov, who had just recently arrived back at the city. The other humans present were without doubt the most renowned, being it that they were the two Butlers and the seemingly unstoppable Artemis Fowl. The three of them were seated by Quan and No1, as well as Holly, forming a group powerful figures. Mulch was, yet again, absent, though it was clear to everyone that he was up to something silly in nature.

Artemis sat in his seat with an air of disciplined relaxation. The genius looked much more at peace than he had been several hours before, something that surprised and comforted Butler to a great degree. He was certain that Holly had something to do with it, but he resigned himself to the fact that he'd probably never know for sure.

Trouble waited at the front of the chamber, standing by a holo-projector, by which Foaly was typing away as he always did. The elven commander looked over the room's occupants and, noting that everyone was present, turned to Foaly.

"Are those scans ready?"

The centaur waved a hand as though to signify that he'd been asked a needless question. "Of course. I formatted it into a more optimal design as soon as your brother sent me the readings." He pressed one more key on his keyboard. "Ready when you are."

Trouble nodded, taking a discrete deep breath as he turned to the waiting audience.

"You all know why we are gathered here today." He started, speaking with an authoritative tone. "We are here because, with the help Fowl, we recovered the ancient artifact required to unearth Opal's final move." He nodded to the boy with a surprising level of respect, though also a faint amount of unease with Holly right next to him, doing his best to avoid looking at the elf, the incident still fresh in his mind. "The artifact was subsequently analyzed by Quan and No1, who have managed to uncover the final piece of information that we need to finish this war."

He nodded to Foaly, who pressed a key instantly. The holo-projector flashed to life, casting a large three-dimensional image across the vacant half of the room. The blue holographic light displayed a detailed rendering of a colossal cavern, though it failed to penetrate the solid wall at the end of it, leaving them with just the cave's interior. Everything was perfectly detailed, from the stalactites and stalagmites to the jagged walls and magma pools.

Trouble waited a moment before continuing. "As per Quan's instructions, we sent a scout, and verified the location. It took us to a hidden magma chute, one that we never knew existed until now despite our thorough mapping of the earth's chute systems. At seven miles wide, fifteen high, and forty deep, this cave is the target of all of Opal's efforts, and she will no doubt bring everything she has in order to seize control of it. Therefore, we must form our own strategy for confronting her forces and stopping her advance on the Gate."

He looked around the room for a terse moment, assessing the faces of those before him. He found nothing but determination.

"But before we do this, we must know the magnitude of our own forces." He looked to General Winters and Commander Ivankov. The two of them had far more military assets than he currently possessed, mainly due to the fact that most of his had been lost during the battle.

Trouble thought for a moment. "Given that we will be engaging Opal within the chutes, our only option is to use aircraft. Haven's forces only consist now of a few dozen ships, and even then we are seriously low on certified pilots." He nodded to the other leaders. "Winters, Ivankov. What are you willing to bring to this fight?"

General Winters checked his data pad, his aged face wrinkling with contemplation as he reviewed his unit reports. As Ivankov did the same, the high ranking elf spoke.

"With Atlantis' squadrons as well as reserves from other settlements, I have exactly three hundred fighters currently awaiting deployment."

Kelp nodded, the looked to Borislav, who appeared more than ready to speak.

"Our forces took only minor casualties during the battle." The man stated. "I have already addressed this issue with my superiors, and have full clearance to offer everything I can." He glanced at his data pad. "Which adds up to eighty ships. We also have several reserve squadrons undergoing repairs, but it will take a few days to get them to full strength."

"Then that gives us about four hundred ships, give or take a few." Trouble said. "But the question then is, against how many?"

There was silence after Kelp's question. Nobody had any sure idea as to the size of Opal's forces, the lack of talk an obvious sign of that. After a few long seconds, Artemis took it as his cue.

"Though we clearly have no idea how large Koboi's forces are, I have, at the very least, a rough estimate. Given the magnitude of that which we've already faced, it is clear that she favors quantity more than anything, using sheer numbers to overwhelm, thus hinting that she again has such an advantage. Coupled with the predicted output of her production facilities, which I briefly saw during the rescue operation, it is safe to say that she had at least several thousand ships within her facility before it was destroyed." He paused in thought. "However, I doubt she could have saved all of her armies before the reactors imploded, thus she must have less than that."

"How many do you think that is?" Trouble inquired, slight tension visible upon his face.

Artemis cogitated the matter for only a fraction of a second. "I'd say one thousand, give or take a few hundred."

The tension in the air was palpable. Nobody liked hearing that they were, yet again, outnumbered.

General Winters scowled as he heard the estimate, looking very displeased. "Are these just the standard ships we faced before?"

Holly raised her hand to the question. "I doubt it." She said. "When we raided her facility, we encountered ships over twenty times the size of their regulars. One of them has a hundred times more firepower than their gunships, and is even more so durable."

"Great." Winters stated flatly. "We're going in outnumbered and outmatched."

"Indeed we are." Ivankov stated, not even trying to ease the truth. In times like these, one had to accept the way things were, no matter how horrible it seemed. The human commander looked to the holographic image of the cave. "However, we are not going to be taking them head on. We should instead plan to use their numbers against them." He paused. "A surprise attack is the best option in my opinion. Taking her off guard will very much even the playing field."

Trouble nodded. "Then it must be staged where she least expects it."

"And." Artemis interjected. "In a place where we know for certain she will pass through. Given such prerequisites, it is quite obvious." He motioned to the hologram. "We should place it in her absolute destination. If we try to intercept her forces elsewhere, we may very well fail to find her or be completely annihilated in the process. She does not know about the dagger, thus she has no indication that we know where she is going to move, meaning that if anything she will expect an assault on her way there, not when she arrives. Hopefully, once passing through the chutes unchallenged, she will believe us either ignorant to the Gate or incapable of predicting her movements, either or she will be much more susceptible to an attack when she believes herself to be home free." He paused, his face tightening with intense thought. "But even if that is the case, we should not assume her to be vulnerable at any time, even if we have an advantage in placing a hidden attack. She is far too dangerous to underestimate."

Commander Kelp didn't hide his appreciation for such input. "Indeed, that is probably the best approach. By placing our forces upon the battlefield ahead of hers, we gain an instant advantage in terrain and surprise, not to mention we can hit her when she least expects it." He looked back to the holographic image. "But how to we hide four hundred ships and manage to land a crushing blow before her forces can react?"

Quan rubbed his chin. "It is possible for No1 and I to obscure our forces from Opal's senses, which would otherwise pick up on such a gathering of ships. Along with the high levels of magical interference coming from the Gate, it should at least hide us from her. This, of course, does not help in terms of visual or electronic sighting. We need a way that will hide our forces physically as well."

As the everyone observed the hologram, Holly scrutinized it from her seat, her brow furrowed in calculation. Artemis noted her gaze and raised an eyebrow, curious as to where it was leading. Of course, his curiosity was very well directed; whenever Holly came up with a plan, it was always crazy.

After a few moments, the elf grinned to herself. Artemis and Butler were not at all surprised at her almost devious demeanor, rather they expected it. With the partially crazy look still plastered upon her visage, Holly raised her hand, eliciting Trouble's attention.

"Yes, Captain Short?" He asked, though his speech was afflicted by slight awkwardness.

Holly was all confidence. "I have a plan." She said simply, though her intonation indicated that the nature of her plan was anything but simplistic, or sane for that matter.

Kelp motioned for he to continue, not hiding his anticipation for what he knew would be a very interesting idea.

Holly looked to Foaly, who was all ears. "Foaly, what's the status on our drones and bio bombs?"

The centaur didn't bother to ask why. He looked just as excited. "I have about a thousand light assault drones left, and our remaining bio bomb stockpiles consist of mainly larger munitions, about a hundred currently on hand."

The elf grinned as she looked at the cave's stalactites. "Excellent. Then here's what I'm thinking."

Holly explained her plan in astonishing detail, and as she did, the faces of everyone within the chamber became immensely pleased. When she finished, Commander Ivankov looked to her, a very wide smile on his face.

"That may indeed work perfectly." He said, not hiding his own excitement. "It's crazy, unorthodox, and extremely risky...I love it."

Artemis gave his silent approval, a thin smile on his otherwise impassive face. Her plan was without doubt the best one he could imagine, and for once in his life, he hadn't thought of it.

Commander Kelp grinned, his previous awkwardness gone. "Now that's a strategy." He looked to everyone else gathered in the council chamber. "Does anyone else have something they'd like to add or object?" Not a soul even considered it, everyone had a sense of enormous veneration for the course of action that the Captain had suggested, even the usually disagreeable officials.

Trouble nodded with satisfaction. "Then our plan is settled." He turned to Foaly. "Foaly, get the necessary preparations underway immediately, we need to get everything in place as soon as possible." The centaur nodded wordlessly before making his way from the room. Kelp then looked to the human and LEP commanders. "We will commence the operation at once. Have your forces gather and make ready to travel to the Gate."

There was a flurry of activity as the numerous individuals in the council chamber made their way from the room, each with their own specific duties to carry out in preparation for the operation. Ivankov and General Winters gave mannerly nods to Commander Kelp before leaving, their subordinates following close behind them. In a matter of moments, the only individuals left were Trouble and Holly. The female elf was making her way to the door, but stopped as she heard the Commander approaching her. Turning around, she saw Trouble standing before her, regret written all over his face.

"Holly, about earlier." He began, his voice dripping with apology. "I just want to apologize. I know these circumstances are far from normal, thus I shouldn't have made such a big deal..." He paused, Holly waited. "I know you are far closer to Artemis than I ever can be, you are such close friends that I cannot think of a world where you aren't. I understand why you acted as you did, and judging by Artemis' change in demeanor, you helped him a great deal. So again, I apologize."

Holly smiled thinly, looking at Trouble with forgiving eyes. "There's nothing to be sorry for. If anyone was out of line, it was me." She grinned. "I know Julius wouldn't have taken such impudent behavior from me, I'd quickly have found myself doing desk work for a year."

They both laughed together, the previous tension gone. For the first time in many weeks, the two friends, who had known each other for most of their lives, truly acted as such. Gone was the formality that came with rank, the stiff conversation that a soldier had to uphold. They were speaking as life long friends.

"You most certainly would have." Trouble agreed, smiling now as he remembered the old elf.

He placed a strong hand upon Holly's shoulder, looking into her eyes with great esteem. "Julius was so very proud of you, more than anything else in the world. He saw you as family, and even in the hard times he never doubted you for a second." He smiled wider. "I too share that pride. You're the greatest officer I've ever seen Holly, far better than I am or could ever hope to be. I've always admired you, and such admiration grows every day." He paused. "I just want you to know that no matter what happens in the battle ahead, there is nothing ill between us."

Holly put her hand upon his shoulder as well, returning the look of kindness. "There's never been anything ill between us, most certainly not now." She squeezed his shoulder. "Julius would be proud of you too Trouble, you're becoming more like him every day, and I mean that in a good way. There's no one else he'd have as commander but you, and there's no one else I'd have as my superior either, remember that."

The complement hit Trouble like a brick wall, breaking any emotional walls he'd built as commanding officer. He never expected such from Holly, yet here it was, plain as day. He had always looked up to Julius, and had done his best to live up to his legacy, though he always felt that such was like trying to live up to a timeless legend. Holly had always been around in his life, an ever present force that refused to be stopped. To have such a fiery individual as her think of him as worthy of being Julius' successor was the most soul warming thing he'd ever felt. It was and always had been his dream and goal in life to live up to that, and she believed that he could. He blinked away a few grateful tears. "Thank you." He said softly. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

Holly never stopped smiling. "You deserve it Trouble, there's no need to thank a crazy recon jockey like me."

Kelp was silent for a long moment, looking at his good friend with immeasurable gratefulness. It was not an awkward silence, but rather one filled with feeling and understanding, a calm that swelled with emotion. After a minute, Trouble took his hand from Holly's shoulder, his eyes still brimming with happiness, but now also a confident fire.

"So now, after all these years, we're going up against Opal for the final time." He said, his voice filled with strength.

Holly nodded fiercely. "At long last we will end what she started, what Julius left us to persist against."

Trouble was filled with pride. "Then let us do this, together. Let's finish it, for Julius."

"For Julius." Holly repeated, iron determination flashing in her eyes.

Together, the two friends clasped hands, their grips firm and full of character. Nothing was going to stand in their way, not even a thousand suns. As they stood together within the council chamber, Artemis watched from the crack of the door, a smile upon his face. She had done so much for him, and now she was doing the same for Trouble, mending the wounds of the past whilst cementing impervious friendships that would brave the flames of dreadful tribulation with ease. It brought joy to his heart to see her and Trouble now clean, the tension between them gone like a weed pulled from the fertile earth. He'd never seen Trouble so happy, so at ease, so proud. Artemis smiled again as he left the door, walking away with a refreshed gait. He too had never felt so proud of her.

As he stepped into the main hall, Butler and Juliet took up stride alongside him, the two of them having been waiting patiently by the door. All around them officers ran to their stations, commanders bellowed orders, and the call to arms was blasted from the intercoms, creating an air of perfect precedence whilst the hundreds of soldiers worked with determined alacrity for the unavoidable conflict ahead.

The trio silently traversed the halls, speech being both unnecessary and impossible with the loud commotion that was everywhere. They were assaulted by a wash of warm air as they exited to station, the sound of engines and machinery blasting through the air. All around Haven, the fleets of drones and LEP ships made their way to the terminal, where an even greater cacophony reverberated from as hundreds of ships gathered for war. Artemis watched as they passed overhead, his face set in a solid look of determination. The board was set, the pieces were moving, their final action now unfolding towards a colossal battle that would be checkmate for one side or the other. There was no room for failure, no margin for error, everything was balanced on the sharpest of points. If Opal won, the world if not the universe would be lost, and all would be destroyed. Artemis didn't flinch as wind buffeted against him relentlessly, his mind set on the inevitable, preparing for what must come. It was an obvious fact that he wished was false, but knew was just around the corner. He watched silently as the sky filled with the weapons of conflict. War was at hand.


	16. Prelude to War

**Haven City**

Haven's terminal was the definition of hectic, utterly filled to the brim with ships as they prepared for war. Space had been cleared throughout the entire civilian sector of the hangars in order to fit the combined forces, now four hundred strong, and the hundreds of light assault drones, leaving little space for anything else. Each of the ships were fully repaired, refitted, and organized into flights, squadrons, groups and wings, perfectly prepared to take flight. The wind from the chute blew overhead with a seemingly excited force as pilots and technicians made their final system checks, though they had been ready for hours and such checks were simply a means to pass the time, to keep oneself busy during the nerve racking calm before battle.

Captain Holly Short watched from her view within her interceptor, tapping her fingers upon the ship's control panel with idle impatience as she observed the gathering of their full aerial power. It was impressive to say the least, a force that combined human, fairy and machine into a unified army against the merciless threat of Opal Koboi. Once again, for the second time in thousands of years, the armies of human and fairy kind would fight alongside one another against a common foe. It was history in the making.

Holly looked across the hangar to where an LEP shuttle sat, its bulky form standing out amidst the sea of sleek combat ships. Of course, it wasn't going to take part in the actual fighting. The shuttle was the transportation for Artemis and the Butlers, as well as the two warlocks, Quan and No1. Even Mulch was aboard who, by some weird turn of events, was acting as the pilot. Despite his kleptomaniac nature, the dwarf had been allowed to come, either to act as a noisy distraction or to simply offer his unique talents should they be required. It was clear that they all would be needed, though not for the battle itself. They were required for that which would come along with it; the confrontation with Opal herself. Mere weapons were meaningless against Koboi, but the power of Artemis' mind and the magical strength of the two warlocks were a very real threat to her, especially now that they possessed the dagger.

From within the confines of her fighter, Holly could make out the figures of Artemis and his friends entering the bulky transport ship. She wished she could be closer in order to see him off one last time before the battle. She kept her eyes on the boy, and just as he appeared to be about to climb into the shuttle, he turned around, his eyes directly on her's. With a confident wave, the genius smiled to her, his surprisingly at ease features seemingly laughing in the face of the coming conflict, unafraid. The elf smiled and gave the boy a mock salute, happy to have been able to confer with him, even at a distance, one last time.

As the two of them made their silent exchange, the two commanders, Trouble and Ivankov, entered the hangar, immense gravity emanating from their steps. Trouble Kelp couldn't hide his pride as he entered the terminal, humbled by the number of brave soldiers that were willing to travel into hellfire itself for their people. As he walked in unison with the human commander, Foaly spoke into his earpiece.

"_Commander, everything is ready to go."_ He stated. "_The drones are programmed and will do everything precisely as planned."_

"Excellent work Foaly." Trouble responded, noting the scores of drones lined up along one end of the hangar. "The bio bombs as well?"

"_Yes sir."_

Trouble nodded to himself whilst he passed the rows of aircraft. "I appreciate everything you've done for us old friend. It's no small comfort knowing that you will be watching over us during this operation."

"_No problem Trouble."_ Foaly said friendlily. _"Though maybe after this you can stop calling me donkey boy."_

Kelp smiled. "Don't count on it."

There was a pause as Trouble reached his ship. He looked over its immaculate form with immense appreciation. It had been a while since he'd flown one such a craft, but such a fact made it all the more desirable, even in combat. As he eyed the ship, he spoke again to Foaly.

"So this is it." He said.

"_Indeed."_

"Good luck on your end, Foaly. Keep Haven safe until we return."

"_I will."_ Foaly said. _"I wish you the best of luck as well."_

"Thanks."

The centaur cut the chat, resuming his control over the drones, which were now powering up. Trouble looked over to Ivankov, who was waiting patiently beside him. The Russian man nodded to the elf respectfully.

"I'm glad you could join us on this mission. I've been itching to see you behind the wheel of one of these ships." The man said casually.

"Is that a challenge?" Trouble asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe." Borislav responded, a grin on his face. "I always keep score you know."

Trouble grinned slightly as well. "Challenge accepted."

At first he'd been tense around his new human allies, unwilling to give trust easily, and simply awkward around humans in general. But after the conflicts of the last week, and the constant cooperation that the two factions had been showing between each other, he'd grown comfortable, almost perfectly so, around them. It surprised him even now, and he was certain that if he'd went back in time and told himself such a thing would happen, his past self would think him a lunatic.

Commander Ivankov smiled. "Alright then, good luck out there." He extended a hand to the elf.

Trouble clasped it strongly. "Likewise." _By the gods does this feel weird._

After shaking hands, the man looked to the end of the hangar where his ships were waiting. "Well, I best be getting to my ship." He gave a simple wave to Trouble as he walked away. "My ships will be waiting on your orders."

Kelp looking at his ship. With practiced ease, the LEP commander climbed into the interceptor, closing the canopy behind himself. He looked at the controls, feeling the ship around him as though it were an extension of himself. Since becoming commander, he hadn't been able to fly that much at all. Just like Holly, he loved it, though he didn't share her crazy technique. To be in this ship, surrounded by his fellow officers, exhilarated him far more than anything before had. Even though they were going into a dreadful war, he could not help but feel a sense of joy, a sense of completion. Now, after all the years since Opal started the conflict, since she killed Julius, they could finish it.

_Julius. _Trouble's heart became filled with determination and spirit as he thought of Root, his rough mentor and greatest role model, his hero. He would go beyond the ends of the earth to finish what he started, to avenge his death, and to make the world a better place, one that Julius would have wanted. The fight ahead was not for himself, not one bit. It was for Root, for his family, his friends, and for all of the People. He knew that many warriors went into battle for selfish gain and glory, to become legends. It made him feel beyond content to know that he did it for everyone but himself, as a soldier truly should. _Maybe Julius would be proud of me after all. _He thought as he brought his ship online, his HUD lighting up with numbers and reticles. He remembered what Holly had said to him, and it made his soul feel completely full, utterly happy with how things had turned out in life, and now ready even for death, knowing that it had lived to the fullest. He had no regrets, no qualms, not a single dark thought marring his esteem. He was ready for whatever came next. He was prepared for pain, prepared for loss, prepared for death. He was at peace with himself.

With proud eyes, the elf looked to his officers, to the humans, to Artemis, to Holly. He activated his comm link, connecting to every ship present.

"This is Commander Trouble Kelp to all forces." He began, his voice confident and clear. "Today will mark the end of a conflict that has taken more from the People than anything has for thousands of years. It marks the end of a force so evil that it would destroy this earth. It marks a new age for both fairy and human kind." He paused. "I will not lie. This will be a tough battle, an unforgiving battle, one that will take lives and shatter others, one that will exact its price upon all of us without quarter. But this is war, and as such we all know the costs, and the price we will pay will be the price for the basic right to live. Therefore, let us go, my friends, and face this evil as we have before, and this time may be vanquish it until nothing remains!" He brought his engines to full power, lifting his ship up from the hangar floor. "All ships, move out!"

In unison, with a powerful wave of gusting wind, all four hundred fighters and one thousand drones blasted into the air, flying into the open chute before them without a moment's hesitation, a unified force of man and machine. At the forefront, Trouble led the fleet, the ships forming up behind him into perfect formations, filling the chute with a cloud of deadly aircraft. With a deep howl, the hot wind blew as it always did though the chute, passing though the ranks of fighters as they flew to war.

**Opal's Command Ship**

The walls dripped with molten slag, the heat within the enclosed space unrelenting as the magic rocketed about with calculating madness. It roared like a mangled beast as it twisted and turned through the air, the crimson and black tendrils of magic pouring from the glowing manuscripts and the pixie seated before them.

Opal gritted her teeth as the spell reached its climax, a wall of energy exploding from the artifacts with devastating force, crumpling the already melted wall like a tin can, the energy from the outburst leaking into a few adjacent rooms, atomizing everything within them. After a long moment of such unfathomed power, everything went dark, the magic fading into nothingness along with the light and sound. It was perfectly quiet, the smell of molten metal and blood thick in the air, smoke hanging above on the ceiling. Amidst the deafening silence, Opal Koboi sat, her features calm and eyes closed, but not for long. Slowly, like a rising fever, the pixie began to chuckle, the sound echoing around the room. The chuckle expanded into a laugh, then into a maddening roar of sick contentment.

"Excellent! Simply excellent!" She bellowed, her face filled with evil anticipation. "I have it! I finally have it!"

She continued to laugh, getting up off of the floor as she did. Her blood like eyes lit up with nefarious light as she held the manuscripts, now silent and cool, in her hand. She grinned a hellish grin, then stowed them into her cloak once more. With excessive excitement, the pixie opened the door, her magic accidentally sending the heavy alloy barriers flying down the hall like frisbees, smashing into a bulkhead with a loud metallic bang. Opal didn't even notice, her mind far too concentrated on the task at hand.

With a quick gait, the demonic pixie strode down the hall in the direction of the bridge, her eyes filled with darkness and death. As she did so, her magic took stride with her, the cloud of crimson seemingly walking alongside its master like a loyal dog. She grinned the whole time, her razor teeth shining like polished knives,

"So soon from now it will all come to an end." She said as she walked. "The play has finally reached its climax, and thus the actors take to the stage for the final act." She chuckled. "It's a real shame though, I already know the ending." She laughed again as she approached the bridge, the halls crawling with deadly tendrils as they snaked along behind her, living monsters in a world gone insane.

**Somewhere in the United Kingdom**

Morning light poured through the windows of the open room, illuminating everything with a golden hew. The area was a colossal mess, the floor covered with miscellaneous toys and gadgets, strewn about as if forgotten. Myles and Beckett sat in the middle of the room, working on some sort of contraption, though Myles was the more interested of the two, whilst Beckett seemed to be out to cause mischief.

"Can we play something else?" Beckett asked, much less fascinated in creating miniature solar arrays than his brother.

"This is a serious speriment, stop being such a simpletoon." Myles answered, still utterly focused on wiring the device. His stuffed toy, professor primate, was sitting beside him as though regarding his work.

Beckett didn't protest at being called a_ "simpletoon", _though judging by his demeanor, his limited attention span had run out, again.

The door on the far end of the room opened, from it walking Angeline Fowl. She held a plate of simplistic sandwiches, her smiling face radiating with the light that shone through the window.

"Lunch time you two." She called.

"Aww, mum, I was just about to install the dielectric union." Myles whined.

Their mother smiled. "You can finish your experiment after you've eaten." She placed the plates on the table.

The two of them frowned, but quickly acquiesced.

As the two of them ate, Angeline looked out the window, feeling the warm rays of the sun upon her face.

"Mum." Beckett called, his voice quiet and worried.

"Yes dear?" She turned around, wondering what was wrong.

"Where's Artemis?" He asked, worry in his eyes.

Angeline smiled, turning her eyes once more to the open window. "You know Arty." She said warmly, pride evident in her voice. "He's probably out saving the world right now."

**Forgotten Magma Chute – Two Hours Later**

The darkness and silence that enveloped the gargantuan cave was split by hundreds of lights and equally as many roaring engines, the individual noises combining into a unified cacophony that shook the earth. Hundreds of ships flew through the open maw of the cave, cautious amidst the massive stone protrusions that jutted from the walls. The artificial light from the ships began to mix with the glowing crimson from the cave ahead, their destination now mere minutes away.

Holly sat within her interceptor, observing the terrain as they passed it. It was just as the scans depicted.

Ahead, Commander Kelp's ship reached the opening into the larger cavern, eliciting a transmission from the elf.

"_Commander Kelp to all ships, the target is dead ahead."_ He stated, bringing his ship forward into the colossal cave, the light from the lava pools shining from below like the eyes of a buried titan.

As the fleet spilled into the tunnel, Artemis watched from the control room of his shuttle, his face determined but also solemn. _So this is where it will end. _He thought. He could feel the anxiety begin the rise in his chest, the impending chaos and destruction weighing down on him. He cast it aside effortlessly, refusing to partake in its pointless absurdity. Behind him, his friends did the same, observing the soon to be battlefield with mixed expressions.

Artemis could feel the weight of the situation, and his mind could envision it perfectly. All of the years of cyclical conflict with Opal would end one way or another within this very cave, either in victory or total defeat. It was completely disheartening to consider the possibility of losing, but for Artemis, it was necessary. He had to accept the stakes, come to terms with what failure meant, and know what it would entail should their efforts be impotent. With such knowledge, he gained an even greater determination to surpass all obstacles, to persevere against whatever Koboi threw their way, and pay any price in order to win. They had to; nobody else could.

The looming cavern grew ever larger before them, the magma below and the stalactites above casting dreadful shadows on the walls. The boy grinned slightly. It was such a terrible place, the very essence of darkness, a cave that much more resembled a nightmarish monster than a natural formation. Yet at the same time, it was perfectly fitting for what was to come; the final battle. He knew it sounded cliché, but it was true. His smirk became a large grin as he saw Holly's ship pass his, agile and skillful amidst the cloud of aircraft. As long as she was fighting, there was hope.

Holly glanced at Artemis' shuttle as she passed it, knowing that the boy was probably watching her. _Stay safe, Artemis. _She thought, moving ever closer to the front of the formation. She couldn't hide her appreciation as she regarded the cavern around her. It was perfect.

"_All ships, prepare to make final preparations."_ Trouble spoke over the comm link. _"Report to designated coordinates"_

As the fleet split off into groups, Holly couldn't suppress the large grin that covered her face. Opal was in for one hell of a surprise.

**Opal's Hideout**

The gargantuan cavern was filled with activity as hundreds upon hundreds of gunships took to the skies, their crimson engine flares lighting the cavern with a bloody glow. Along with them, formations of titan like dreadnaughts loomed above, their dreadful forms covered with weaponry, their massive engines howling with murderous desire. All of the one thousand gunships and one hundred dreadnaughts from Opal's previous facility formed up around the truly mind boggling monstrosity that dominated the air, the thousand meter long warship hovering menacingly over the supply depot, which was now empty. Along with the eleven-hundred ships came an additional five-hundred from the depot's garrison, making the fleet utterly massive. All of Opal's forces were gathered, either in the air or within the large cargo bays of her flagship, which was a mobile fortress. The hundreds of guns bristling from the sides of the ship were now active, their charges loaded and tracking systems online, waiting eagerly to deal death. At the front, the huge laser was also operational, though only glowing slightly with the heat of its charged arrays, inactive but ready to fire at a moment's notice.

Opal Koboi sat within her command chair, looking out the window of the battleship's bridge with glowing eyes. Her face was contorted with a twisted grin, her crimson eyes gleaming with calculative madness, her features filled with sinister ambition.

"The final phase is at hand." She stated devilishly. "It is time for the endgame."

She checked the readiness reports of her fleet upon her console, finding them perfect, as always. She laughed with venomous intent, again watching as her ships filled the space before her. It was a delicious sight, one that screamed the cry of impending doom to her enemies, a nefarious song of torment.

Opal continued to observe from her seat. "Though I doubt you have any idea where I'm going, I expect you to try something." She said to the air around her, her intonation pointed towards her mortal enemies. "You've always managed to get in my way up until now." She smiled hungrily. "So, my idiot foes, do so once more!" Her eyes widened with insane anticipation. "Let us fight one last time!"

She pressed several buttons on her console, bringing the ship's main engines out of standby. As the huge warship began to move forward, Opal smiled endlessly. "Try and stop me if you can, you fools, but know that it will cost you your lives."

With a zealous shout, the pixie pointed to the chute entrance before her. "All ships, advance!"

As one, the monsoon of deadly warships flew forward, the massive battleship easily keeping pace with them, its great engines roaring like a raging tempest. The final pieces were now in motion, their rising momentum an unstoppable force. All that anyone could do now was wait, wait for the inevitable chaos and destruction, the wages of war. Opal's fleet set a quick pace, flying through the chutes with mindless focus. All the while, Koboi watched from the bridge of her battleship, her dark soul screaming hungrily for merciless bloodshed. It had begun.


	17. Dropping into Hell

**Haven – Police Plaza**

The halls within the police plaza were nearly empty. There were a few officers here and there, but the building was otherwise devoid of the commotion that had been engulfing it only a few hours ago. The truth was that most of the officers were either gone with the fleet or reassigned to bolster the city's defenses in their absence. Because of this, the LEP headquarters was functioning on a skeleton crew, having only two dozen officers operating the essential systems, most of them within the command room.

The command room was deafeningly quiet, not a soul speaking as they watched the monitors, upon them glowing the chute scans and surveillance camera feeds, which up until now had not been pinged at all by any hostile units. Such a lack of enemy sightings made things all the more tense as the officers waited, the seemingly endless calm already beyond uncomfortable.

Within the advanced confines of the ops booth, Foaly tapped his fingers nervously upon his desk, his eyes flitting between a dozen different monitors, each of them covered with readings and images. It had been like this for hours. Since the main force had left Haven, Foaly had been closely monitoring the tunnel networks, but to no avail. For several hours now there had not been a single blip on his intricate sensor grid. This made him worry.

Of course, he could attribute the lack of activity to Opal's own inactivity, maybe she had yet to make her move, maybe they were way ahead of her. But part of him knew such was not the case. He could feel it deep within; she was on the move.

"_Foaly, this is Trouble, have you seen anything yet?" _Came the voice of Commander Kelp over the comm link, its tenor one of impatience. He must have been getting tired of the waiting as well.

The centaur scratched his head anxiously. "Not a peep. I've been keeping a close eye on all routes, and thus far haven't seen a single ship."

"_Is it possible that she took an alternative route?"_ Trouble asked.

"Impossible." Foaly stated immediately. "Since the discovery of that cavern I have sent dozens of scanner drones and triple checked every chute in the area. There's no other way in."

There was a brief silence on the channel, followed by a deep exhalation. _"Alright."_ Trouble said, his voice slightly more restless. _"Keep me updated Foaly, I expect a report every ten minutes."_

"Yes sir." The centaur said, still eying the readouts, half expecting for a fleet to appear out of nowhere.

As the comm link went silent, Foaly sneaked a sip of carrot juice, taking his eyes off of the screens for a fraction of a second. Just as he took a sip, an alarm sounded upon his console, causing him to drop the cup and almost choke to death on the juice. After a few moments of hacking, the red faced centaur looked to the screens. He saw nothing.

"Peculiar." He said to himself. "The proximity sensors detected something..."

As he uttered his statement, the video feed that covered the chute a few dozen miles from the forgotten tunnels crackled with static, though only briefly. He cocked his brows, taking it as an abnormality, that is until he saw something move.

Within the confines of the chute, the air began to shimmer violently, contorting from nothingness into twisted shapes and dark tendrils of nefarious energy. Foaly gaped as the shimmering air transformed into a soup of mixed colors and shapes, then into terrifyingly identifiable forms.

"By the gods." Foaly breathed, his eyes wide as he beheld the scene before him.

With a silent flash of crimson light, the distorted air shattered like glass, falling from the very fabric of reality to reveal a colossal number of ships. As if the sight of over a thousand aircraft wasn't enough, a gigantic warship cut through the air along with them, its dreadful form dwarfing even the dreadnaughts.

It was a horrifying sight made even worse by its abrupt appearance, making the color drain from Foaly's face.

The centaur gaped with shock for a moment longer before coming to his senses, shakily activating the comm link.

"_Got something Foaly?"_ Trouble asked immediately.

Foaly mouthed some swear words before speaking. "Uhhh..yeah. It appears as though Opal's entire fleet just appeared out of thin air. They're only ten minutes away from your position."

"_By the gods." _Trouble said with astonishment. She had managed to cloak her ships until the last minute, giving them little notice of her approach. There was a brief pause, followed by serious intonation. _"What's their strength?"_

Foaly bit his lip as he ran the numbers. "One-thousand-five-hundred gunships, about a hundred of the larger ones..."

"_What else Foaly?_" Kelp pressed, knowing that the centaur was not finished.

"There's one more." Foaly said nervously. "Judging by its size I think it is Opal's command ship."

"_Be more descriptive." _Trouble demanded.

"Umm." Foaly began. "About a kilometer long, multiple energy shields, reactive armor plating, hundreds of high powered cannons, and by Frond's beard a colossal laser on the front!"

"_D'arvit!" _Trouble swore. None of them had seen this coming. _"Is there any weakness you can see?"_

Foaly scowled as he observed the ship. "I can't scan it, there's too much interference." He said anxiously. "The best I can do is send you a visual."

With a few clicks and just as many curses, the centaur sent a detailed image of the ship to Trouble, who could be heard swearing upon receiving it. After a long moment of silence, the Commander spoke.

"_So they're less than ten minutes out then."_ He stated, his voice flat.

"Yeah, nine to be exact."

"_Alright." _He said resolutely. _"None of this changes our plan, we will just have to factor that ship into the strategy." _He paused, talking briefly to someone else on a different channel before returning to Foaly's._ "Keep an eye on things Foaly, and make sure those bombs and drones do their work."_

"Absolutely." Foaly said, now determined. "Good luck out there."

"_Yeah thanks. I'm beginning to think we'll need it."_

Once the transmission ended, Foaly looked again to the video feeds, watching as Koboi's fleet got closer and closer to their destination. The centaur grimaced as they formed up into attack formations around the flagship. This was going to be a tough battle.

**Lost Cavern**

"_All ships, prepare for combat."_ Trouble's voice sounded over the comm link, reverberating around the cabin of Artemis' shuttle.

The boy observed the cavern before him, his brows furrowed with thought. Behind him, Quan and Nº1 were concentrating on obscuring the allied fleet from Opal's magical probes. Artemis had wondered why they were capable of undertaking such a demanding spell with the high levels of magical interference in the area, something Quan had stated would impede Opal's own abilities. When the boy had asked the warlock about it, he'd simply grinned and told him that it was a _"secret of the pros"_. Artemis didn't know exactly what the secret was, but it made sense. Quan had been alive for thousands of years, and had studied the arcane arts for almost all of it. Even though Opal was more powerful, Quan knew far more about the intricacies of magic than she ever could, thus it was only logical that he knew a few loopholes that Koboi did not. None of them knew how much the interference would influence Opal's abilities, but even the slightest amount was appreciated, as they needed all the help they could get. Hopefully, with such an advantage, they could turn the seemingly overwhelming tide.

He never took his eyes from the lava pitted tunnel, searching for the inevitable force that was nearly on top of them. As the proximity timer ticked down the minutes until contact, Artemis' eyes narrowed with determination.

_So it begins._

**Opal's Command Ship**

Opal sat in her command chair with quiet anticipation, here eyes gleaming as they always did, but now brighter than ever, casting the busy control room into multiple shades of bloody red light. She had just entered the clandestine network of tunnels, and was now viewing her fleet before her, watching as her ships crowded around her in tightly packed formations. Their close proximity to one another made her uneasy, they were far too susceptible to an attack, but the current cave didn't allow much space. That would change once they reached the main cavern. There was also the nagging irritation of losing her obscurity spell over her ships. Up until then, she had no problem with it, but due to the magical interference pulsing relentlessly from the Gate, her spell was distorted, thus rendering it useless. Opal knew that the magical influence of the Gate would no doubt impede her other large spells as well, a factor that she hadn't fully anticipated until now, though wasn't totally surprised by given her still limited knowledge of advanced magic. These various vexations were agitating her.

Koboi accepted that such worry, though a bit paranoid, was well placed. Her foes were very resourceful and highly unpredictable, proven time and time again to be a serious pain in the ass. She had traveled unchallenged through numerous chutes that the LEP would usually guard audaciously. Even though she had cloaked her fleet with her magic, she knew that such a guise wouldn't fool Quan one bit. Had the master warlock been anywhere near her fleet as it traveled, he could have simply pointed to it and the LEP would have lit them up with bio bombs. However, such tactics wouldn't have worked out well for them, as she would have easily seen them coming and thus would have subsequently blown them to oblivion. She felt a slight bit of disappointment in them. She had wanted to destroy them one last time before she became unstoppable, it would have been amusing.

Opal looked down the long dark tunnel to the far end, where a warm glow emitted from an unseen source, which she reasoned was probably lava. Her mind tingled with excitement. She was mere minutes away from her goal, so close she could feel its magic tingling at the edges of her being. It felt wonderful. Part of her just wanted to rush in and seize what was rightfully hers, but her sensible side knew better, crushing the idiotic impulses that had led to her demise in the past. After the numerous debacles caused by Artemis and his irritating partners, she knew that being headstrong would end in disaster. It was nearly impossible that her enemies had somehow predicted her movements, even more improbable for them to know her true intentions. Yet still, she had to be vigilant against unexpected obstacles, as they often appeared in moments where victory seemed assured. They had fooled her on several occasions already, she would not be fooled again.

As her ship closed the distance between it and the Gate, Opal's tension was pushed to the back of her mind, replaced by a feeling of perfectly evil desire. With the power of the Gate nearly at her fingertips, it was hard not to envision what she would do with it. Of course, she would kill everyone, maybe even blow up a few galaxies, but that was just the broad stroke of things. The details, yes, those were what she wanted to focus on. She would not simply snap her finger and make everything explode, no, that would be boring. She would take her time. After all, she was immortal, and with the power of a god, time meant nothing to her. She could stretch the earth's suffering on forever if she so desired, or end it in a split second, or maybe both if she decided to travel into multiple realities and try out numerous ways of world domination. Regardless, the notion of such unbridled power made her tingle all over. It was ecstasy to her sinister soul, a fine wine that fit the tastes of her dark mind.

The light from the approaching cave began to gleam brighter, her ship now only a few hundred meters from the opening. Opal mused for only a split second longer before returning herself to a state of calm anticipation, her eyes now watching the space before her with calculative precision, searching for anything abnormal with both her enhanced vision and magical probes. Her magic prodded at every space within the cavern ahead, searching, hunting, but all she could feel was the magic emanating from the Gate, an unrelenting storm of metaphysical energy. She frowned with annoyance. The Gate made any attempt at sensory magic almost impossible, leaving the dark confines of the tunnel shrouded in mystery. Her usually confident demeanor grew wary. Even though the probability of her enemies being anywhere near her was next to zero, that fraction of a percent troubled her.

By now her fleet had reached the next section of the tunnels, the cave opening up into a lava lit cavern that stretched for miles in all directions. Opal didn't slow as her ship entered, she knew she couldn't, not when she was so close. At that current moment in time, it was paramount that her forces seize the entire cavern as soon as possible. The Gate's magic was in the very air itself, she could see it dancing like fireflies at the corners of her vision, taunting her with their excited movement. She ignored them. She had a fleet to command.

"All forward ships, spread out into loose battle formation. All protection groups form up behind lead strike groups, defensive grid." She ordered strongly, all the while gazing at the cavern before her. She narrowed her bloody eyes. Something felt wrong.

Again, she sent out her magical probes, attempting to unearth the source of her discomfort. Once more, they came back empty handed. Opal frowned some more, both discontented and perplexed, though not enough to truly change her planned course of action. Her current priority was reaching the end of the tunnel, she would not stop due to mere vexations that could very well be the product of the magical interference. And even if they weren't, she had an army of immense power, making any attempts to stop her fruitless by default.

By now she was almost halfway through the cavern, her forces spread out around her battleship with precise spacing and organized formations, a cloud of systemic death. The pixie felt the magic once more creep into her attention, her efforts to ignore it usurped by its greater temptation. She grinned.

"Come what may. Nothing can stand in my path now." She said presumptuously, her death filled eyes gleaming with hate fueled determination.

As the fires from the lava pits below burned brightly, Opal's flagship powered towards the looming wall ahead, sixteen-hundred ships in tow.

**Lost Cavern – Moments Before**

Holly gritted her teeth as she watched Opal Koboi's fleet pass beneath her, the sheer volume of her forces now painfully clear, along with the hulking monstrosity that was the pixie's command ship. They were clearly outnumbered and outgunned by a huge degree, a circumstance that had recurred throughout the entire war so far. Hopefully their plan would even the odds.

The LEP Captain sat within the cockpit of her interceptor, the force of gravity pulling against her harness as she waited in silence. Her ship was latched to the side of one of the massive stalactites, near the shadow obscured ceiling of the cavern, using its docking clamps to hold it in place upon the jagged stone. Around her, hundreds more of the allied ships did the same, their small forms covering the enormous rock formations like insects holding onto the thick hide of a great beast. All of the aircraft were powered down, leaving no electronic or heat signatures for the enemy scanners to pick up on. It had been her idea, of course, and with the magical assistance of Quan and Nº1, they had thus far remained invisible to Opal, an excellent advantage. They were literally on top of the enemy and they didn't even know it.

Short kept watching as the steady stream of warships passed miles below, a seemingly endless parade of horrid technology. She tapped her fingers impatiently upon the controls of her ship. They were waiting for the Commander's order which, to Holly's annoyance, hadn't come yet.

_Any time Trouble. _She thought, eyes ever upon the unknowing enemy.

The enemy had already spread out into loose formations, which made things harder for them. If they were tightly packed, their assault would no doubt decimate them. But with their forces dispersed throughout the area, they were much less susceptible to an all out attack. It irritated Holly, but then again she never really expected Opal to be stupid enough to keep her forces compacted. Some of the LEP officers had brought up the previous tunnel that connected the cavern to the chute systems, suggesting that they use it to their advantage. The problem with that was the fact that such a confined space would give them away. Quan had stated that if they even so much as placed a few drones or bombs within it, Opal would have found out, and thus their element of surprise would be gone. Even with the warlock's spells, such close proximity would have been too much for them to obscure anything from Koboi who, despite being affected by the magic, would still be able to sense nearby abnormalities. In the end, they had to settle for the main expanse itself, using the distance between the area below and the stalactites above to properly set an ambush.

Holly took a deep breath, calming her nerves as she prepared mentally for battle, fortifying herself for the intense combat that was soon to occur. As she closed her eyes in concentration, she envisioned everything that she was fighting for; her friends, her people, her world.

About a hundred meters from Holly's ship, Trouble's interceptor sat against the side of another gargantuan stalactite, along with a squadron of LEP fighters and several groups of drones. The Commander studied the fleet below, his visage bold and determined. Despite Opal's sudden appearance, everything had thus far gone just as planned. Trouble knew that everyone was itching to start the assault, and he could clearly envision the agitated demeanor that Holly held not that far away. But regardless of this, he knew that they could not attack, not yet. Their timing had to be perfect, and the position of Opal's forces had to be spot on, otherwise the strike would lose most of its potency. Without his ship's systems online, he couldn't know for sure when that time was, but he knew that Foaly would.

"Foaly, status report." Trouble said quietly over his communicator.

He didn't have to worry about Opal's sensors picking up his communications, as they had such a low profile signature already that, when coupled with all of the inherent interference, were virtually undetectable.

"_Opal's forces are almost within the kill zone, ETA two minutes."_ Foaly responded, his voice tense.

"Good." Kelp stated. He absentmindedly checked his flight suit, still eying the fleet below. "Once they reach it, you know what to do."

"_Perfectly."_ Foaly said with conviction.

Trouble's eyes narrowed as he continued to regard the army below. _Two minutes..._He thought to himself. It was so close, yet it felt like a lifetime away. As the seconds ticked by, time seemed to slow, the intense calm before the storm becoming a frozen moment of anxiety. The very stone around them held its breath, the fires below waited curiously, and the air itself whispered with morbid anticipation. It felt as though the whole world had become an enraptured audience, captivated by the dreadful spectacle that was promised to take place.

Everyone else shared the feeling, the torment of waiting becoming a mutual experience. Thankfully for them, it was to be a short one. The time, though distorted by emotion, passed like lightning.

"_Ten seconds."_ Foaly stated over the comm links.

Within her ship, Holly tensed up with anticipation, barely suppressing a grin. _Opal's going to love this._

"_Five seconds." _The centaur's voice intoned again.

Far from the gathered forces, Artemis watched worriedly. _Stay safe out there, Holly._

"_Zero."_

There was an agonizing pause, followed by Foaly's voice yet again. This time, his impossibly serious voice had a hint of glee.

"_All units stand by, I'm going loud."_

Only a millisecond after the centaur spoke, dozens of bright flashes winked from throughout the stalactites, followed by the sleek forms of high yield bio bombs. The deadly ordnance dropped faster than gravity would pull it, speeding towards the ignorant daemon fleet like bullets.

* * *

Several miles below, within her heavily armed flagship, Opal cocked an eyebrow.

"What was that?" She asked herself, her senses having been pinged. "It almost feels like-"

Her speculative speech was cut off by a blinding explosion of blue light, followed by dozens more, illuminating the entire gloomy cavern. She didn't cover her eyes, with her abilities she didn't need to, though she despised what she saw. Despite herself, Opal gaped as she watched the entire front rank of her fleet get engulfed by crackling energy. The ships only kept on course for a second, then began to list carelessly, their crews disintegrated by the fairy bombs. As a hundred of her ships crashed into each other and into the lava below, Opal growled threateningly, a deadly glare upon her face. She didn't have time to wonder how they got there, or how they even knew in the first place. She could feel more bombs on their way.

With a demonic roar, the nefarious pixie cast her magic, sending a wave of black and crimson energy snaking throughout her expansive fleet. The dark magic formed a wall above the ships, blocking the blast waves of the bio bombs whilst simultaneously atomizing others in mid air. Opal didn't even flinch with the relentless impacts that hammered her shield, if anything they were but small puffs of wind to her. The bombardment continued for a while as more and more bombs were dropped, creating a sea of blue energy mixed with dark tendrils of magic, a twisted display of destruction.

As the explosions raged, Holly watched expectantly. _Time for phase two._

While Opal continued to block the bombs, another series of explosions rocked the cavern, this time originating from the stalactites themselves. Throughout the hanging forest of gigantic rock formations, high powered charges lit up the shadows, though only in the areas uninhabited by allied forces. A ubiquitous cracking sound echoed deeply through the air, followed by crumbling stone. Like a hail storm on steroids, hundreds of the building sized stalactites dropped from the ceiling, broken away by the charges. They dropped straight down, right into Opal's fleet.

"Dammit!" The pixie screamed as she noticed them coming, her attention still on the few remaining bombs. Her shield was holding up, but with her forces so spread out, she couldn't cover them all at the same time. Out of all her forces, she could only cover two thirds. That left five-hundred ships outside the protective barrier, and even then, the Gate's magical interference was deteriorating her defensive spells faster than she could maintain them. She was lucky they didn't have any more bombs, otherwise they would have passed through the holes that were now forming in her barrier.

"All ships, evasive maneuvers!" Opal yelled over her comm link, rage pouring from her bloody eyes.

All around the cavern, countless hundreds of stalactites of all sizes plunged into Koboi's fighter formations, like enormous daggers into schools of tiny fish. The ships broke formation with haste, dodging many of the falling pillars as they scattered in desperate attempts to avoid them. The gunships had it easier, as with their small size and agility, they could weave in between the storm of falling rock. The dreadnaughts, however, were in for it. As the stalactites poured down, the massive warships dove for cover, but found none. With glorious explosions, a dozen of the hulking ships were impaled by the ancient stone spears, whilst gunships were wrecked by both the explosions and hot falling debris.

As the balls of fire and flaming wreckage of her forward units littered the skies, Opal threw angry waves of magic into the falling stone, turning hundreds of the pillars into pathetic clouds of dust before they could reach her main force, which still had most of the cover from her shield. After a minute, the sea of deadly rock began to thin out, loud bangs and earth shaking rumbles reverberating through the cavern as the gigantic stalactites slammed into the ground below, throwing glowing waves of lava up into the air with the force of their impact.

Koboi checked the status of her fleet. She had lost about three-hundred ships, thirty of them being dreadnaughts. That meant she had one-thousand-three-hundred left. It was a cutting blow, and she hadn't even seen the enemy yet, who's presence had rather undesirable connotations.

_If they know where my destination is, then they must definitely know what it is I am trying to attain._ Opal thought angrily. She didn't even pay attention as she smashed a rock the size of the Empire State building._ I'll make short work of them!_

Opal's attention shifted to the tunnel behind her. It quickly occurred to her that the enemy may very be mounting an attack right now whilst they bombarded her forces via automated weapons. The logical point of attack was from the rear, as in the chaos her fleet's flank was highly vulnerable. _Not for long._

With cool precision, Opal opened a channel.

"Rear heavy batteries, fire a volley at location zero-four-two."

There was an instantaneous response as a few dozen massive turrets blasted the smaller tunnel to pieces, leaving nothing but crumbled stone.

"That takes care of one factor." Opal stated smoothly. "Now to focus on the rest."

* * *

High above the chaos below, around the still intact stalactites, Trouble Kelp grinned. Opal had no clue.

"Foaly, time to break the ice." He said confidently.

"_Already on it." _

Back in the police plaza, Foaly rolled up his sleeves, grinning maniacally. "Time to go to work my pretties!"

In the cavern, there was a series of metallic whirrs as the inactive drones came to life. One by one, with a loud bang of boosting thrusters, Foaly's drones dropped from the stone walls. At one thousand strong, the cloud of small assault ships dove towards the strongest points in Koboi's forces, the flare of their small engines winking like a sea of fireflies.

Trouble watched with anticipation as they closed the distance. Charging directly into Opal's forces, even when they were cast into confusion by the assault, was a death wish. Of course, in order to soften the otherwise solid fleet around Opal's ship, someone had to do it. Such was not even considered in terms of their manned interceptors, they didn't want to throw away lives so foolishly. So, naturally, Holly suggested they throw every drone they had straight at Koboi. Unlike their pilots, these machines were easily replaceable and utterly mindless, making them the perfect choice for any sort of suicide mission.

Far below, several daemon squadrons opened fire upon the approaching drones, letting out a hail of ordnance. Bright orbs of fire lit up the air as the weapons met their mark, though they hardly dented the wall of charging ships. The drones powered towards the hostile fleet without paying any heed to the missiles and bullets that pummeled them, the damage done by them meaningless when they were so numerous.

* * *

From her vantage point upon the bridge of her command ship, Opal narrowed her eyes.

_Why if it isn't Foaly's silly little machines. _She thought venomously.

Her enemy had managed to pull off a textbook ambush on her thus far, topping it off with the centaur's pesky contraptions. It impressed her and severely pissed her off at the same time.

"Well. At least I get the chance to ruin the fruits of his labor." She stated as she channeled her power.

With a horrid glare, Koboi sent several waves of concentrated magic into the looming swarms of drones, cutting away entire sections of the force, eliminating at least a few hundred. Yet even as her attacks struck them, they persisted, and were soon too close for Opal to engage.

With a clash of metal and fire, the drones slammed into the enemy fleet, filling the air with the sharp sounds of rending metal and igniting munitions. The small ships unloaded their rocket batteries into anything that moved, blasting the daemon ships without discretion. Drone squadrons ganged up on the larger dreadnaughts, which cut scores of them to pieces with their point defense turrets, filling the air with explosions. As the forces engaged, some of the drones simply collided with the daemon ships, their sleek forms acting like spears as they sliced through the armor of even the huge dreadnaughts, causing some of them to veer out of control and burst into searing hot flames.

As the battle raged before her, Opal glared vehemently. With the drones so intertwined with her own ships, she couldn't use her magic to take them out lest she ruin half her fleet in the process. Her anger cooled into irritation as she switched on her communicator. Good thing she had this ship.

"All point-defense turrets, fire at will. Reserve squadrons, search and destroy."

From the rear ranks of Opal's force, hundreds of ships blasted forward, slicing into the fragile drones mercilessly, now severely outnumbering the attacking machines. Dreadnaughts crushed them by the dozens whilst the gunships hunted them down in hungry packs, tearing them to shreds with their autocannons. Across the entire surface of Opal's battleship, hundreds of anti-aircraft turrets and missile batteries opened fire, unleashing a deluge of death into the drone formations. Explosions filled the air like miniature suns as the automated ships were sheered in two by the rapid fire guns that covered the flagship, the streams of fire crossing to form an intricate web of death. It was a massacre.

Koboi grinned malevolently as she witnessed the egregiously one sided fight before her. Was this it? What this all they could challenge her with? She didn't care. Their defeat was still at hand, the reality of impending doom ever growing as her ship got closer to the great wall at the end of the tunnel. It would take a lot more than some clever demolitions and a fleet of tin cans to stop her, she knew that for a fact.

* * *

Upon the remaining stalactites, hidden within the thick shadows of the distant ceiling, the rest of the allied force waited.

Trouble watched with satisfaction as the enemy forces chased the drones about the cavern, ignorant to the real threat from above. So far, things had gone almost according to plan. The main issue was Opal's command ship. After witnessing the firepower that it possessed, Kelp knew that taking it out would take a lot of effort, if not more than they could handle. Regardless, it mattered little now. They had to strike at this very moment in time or their entire plan would fall apart like a house of cards in the wind.

"Excellent work so far, Foaly." The Commander said approvingly. "Now it's time for the final push."

"_Already on it."_ The centaur responded, his voice excited. He almost sounded out of breath, no doubt he was working like a crazy person with his drones, quite possibly yelling silly insults and obscenities at the enemy as he did so. If anything, he was the world's greatest keyboard warrior.

"ETA?" Trouble asked.

"_Now."_ Foaly stated. _"The ECM burst is ready, and Quan has contacted me to confirm that he will keep the spell upon you as best he can on the way down."_

"Perfect." Trouble switched on his comm link to the rest of the fleet. "All ships, prepare to drop."

A hundred or so yards away, Holly grinned vivaciously. _Finally. _

She watched the battle below, taking careful note of the various hostiles and their tactics, as well as nearly memorizing the grid patterns that Opal's point-defense turrets fired in. These bits of information would come in handy soon enough. After all, knowledge is power.

"_All allied squadrons standing by."_ Ivankov's voice spoke over the comm link. _"Waiting on your order Commander."_

Holly tightened her grip upon the controls, her trigger finger hovering over the power button. She had waited for too long to get into the fight, and was on the verge of charging in by herself. _Patience Holly, you can wait a few more seconds._

"All ships." Trouble's voice intoned. "Drop is in fifteen seconds. Prepare to engage."

_Fifteen seconds!? _Holly bit her lip. Damn was she getting impatient.

The seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness, the sounds of war washing up from below with taunting echoes, beckoning for them to join in the deadly game. In all of the ships, there was motionless silence as the calm before the storm reached its great climax.

"_Five seconds."_ Kelp stated.

Holly's finger twitched, almost activating her ship if not for her reflexes.

"_Three...two...one."_

There was a pause. Everyone held their breath.

"_All ships, activate engines."_

Holly rolled her eyes. Did he have to narrate everything possible? Just say go! After a few fractions of a second, she grinned wildly, her mind throwing caution into the wind.

_Screw this._

With a wild expression, Holly slammed her finger into the button, sending a wave of energy through the ship as it came to life, its nuclear engine blazing with heat as she threw it to full throttle. Without even waiting for all systems to come fully online, Holly deactivated the docking clamps, letting her interceptor drop from the stalactite like a superdense brick.

"Sorry Commander." She said mischievously. "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

With a burst of blue light, Holly's ship blasted into the hellish void. In his fighter, Trouble gave a flat expression, not at all surprised by what he saw. _Holly, you're too predictable. _The look only lasted for a second before he yelled into his communicator, abandoning any sort of organized procedure. "Let's go!"

With the roar of four-hundred engines, the fleet dropped away from the stone pillars, rocketing after Holly with an almost equal amount of vigor, though not at all capable of matching the reckless captain completely. The allied forces flew at ridiculous speeds, gravity acting as a catalyst as they plummeted straight down into the battle below.

Normally such a move would be deemed as beyond reckless, but it was perfectly acceptable here. As the fleet flew, each of Foaly's remaining drones fired a burst of electronic countermeasures, effectively blinding Opal's electronic sensors for a brief moment. At the same time, Quan and No1 held the obscuring spell in place to hide them from Koboi's magic, making it follow the ships in their insane dive. Together, these two forces made them invisible in a sense, and with them coming from directly overhead whilst the enemy was distracted by the drones, no one would even see them until they were mere meters away. It was a perfect strike.

"Form up on me!" Holly yelled vigorously as she pushed her fighter forward, the relentless g-force a welcome feeling. It was like diving into the fiery depths of Hell itself. The reckless feeling thrilled her senses beyond measure.

With the female elf already leading the attack wave by a few hundred meters, it was both easy and desirable to follow her, the fearless LEP officer of legend. Both human and fairy ships organized into a perfect wedge formation, creating a spear of assault ships with Holly at the very tip. Throughout the fleet, everyone let out their own cries of valor, yelling with courage as they rushed to meet the enemy. Like a swarm of falling stars, the deadly cloud of interceptors barreled towards the daemon fleet, a collection of ships acting as one.

Within her command ship, Opal watched as the great wall looming over her grew larger. She was completely oblivious to the four-hundred ships above her, instead focused on the smooth stone barrier that blocked her passage. Her attention, however, was grabbed as her console beeped frantically.

"What is it now?" She said irritably, looking at one of the monitors with aggravated eyes. The systems notified that her ships had all been struck by a series of powerful ECM bursts, rendering their sensors useless. At the same time, Opal became aware of a faint tingling at the corner of her mind. Her eyes widened almost immediately.

"They didn't!" She yelled angrily, rushing to the front of the bridge.

Above Koboi's battleship, Holly let out a battle cry, plunging her ship into the fray. Behind her, four-hundred fighters followed suit, charging into the disorganized daemon fleet with weapons blazing. Missiles filled the air alongside high velocity laser blasts, creating a deafening whoosh of power as it rammed into the hostile forces, resulting in a grand display of explosions. Holly was the first to reach the enemy lines, her face filled with frenzied excitement and iron determination. She unleashed her ship's extensive arsenal, slicing through half a dozen gunships before they could even try to evade, sending them falling to the fires below. All around, allied ships did the same, cutting into the enemy ranks like a glowing hot knife through soft butter.

As she looked from the command ship's window, Opal deadpanned. "They did."

A bright wall of fire lit up the air just before the ship's bridge as a disabled gunship slammed into the battleship's hull, though with its energy shields the wreckage simply slid of harmlessly. Opal turned around smoothly, walking to the command chair with a surprisingly calm demeanor. Sitting down, she opened a channel to her fleet.

"All ships, free to engage. Regroup into attack formations and concentrate fire upon the new hostiles."

She simultaneously switched her flagship's defense grid to maximum, eliciting a thunderous response as the guns doubled their efforts. Apart from this, she stayed on course. They had caught her off guard, and had subsequently forced her ships into close combat, thus casting her previously organized squadrons into a sea of intense dogfights. But despite this, there was little her enemy could do against her battleship, and so long as she outnumbered them with her own ships, it would only be a matter of time until they were overwhelmed. Besides, it was never her intention to preserve her forces. They were but a means to an end, and right now they were serving their purpose by impeding those who were intent on stopping her. In the end, she couldn't care less if she lost everything. Nothing mattered so long as she acquired the power that the Gate held.

But still, it seriously agitated her that they had managed to uncover her secrets. It was obviously no coincidence that they had set a trap within this particular cavern. They must have learned about the Gate, or at least enough to know that she was moving in on something big. It was plausible that Quan had managed to dig up some information during his captivity, after all, he was literally plugged into her magical networks. Regardless, it meant that her final move would take a bit more effort than predicted, so long as her foes didn't pull something utterly ridiculous. Opal's eyes narrowed. It was always that human, Fowl, and that idiot Holly that seemed to pull victory out of an empty hat. She had not the slightest doubt that they were somewhere close, mocking her with their annoying ability to stay alive despite all odds. She searched the skies like a hungry predator, calculating her foes abilities as she observed them. All the while the enormous wall loomed ahead, an ever silent titan. Opal's glowing eyes pulsed again with irritation.

"You may have landed the first blow, but this battle is far from over!"

**Lost Cavern – Far End**

Artemis Fowl watched the intense fighting with morbid interest, the fiery explosions in the air colluding with the glowing lava below, creating a hellish scene that spanned most of the cavern. He observed the proceeding warfare with a calculative eye, keeping track of the battle as it was all he could really do from his position. As the bright flashes of red projected into the shuttle's crew compartments, the boy sighed. It was truly the worst feeling, witnessing a conflict in which his friends fought for their very lives whilst he was unable to assist. Fighting wasn't his forte, he knew that, but part of him still desired to be within the fray instead of standing on the sidelines.

Everyone within the shuttle watched alongside him, silent as they beheld the cataclysm before them. Quan and Nº1 had long since ended their spell, and now stood near Artemis. Quan looked concerned, but confident.

"We've done all we can in this fight, Artemis." He stated, aware of Fowl's discomfort. "We must wait until we gain an opportunity to strike Opal directly."

"Can you not help in this battle?" Artemis asked, anxiety evident in his voice.

Quan shook his head. "I wish we could, but that spell was just about all we could do in these circumstances. Even though I know how to bypass the Gate's interference, Opal is still far too strong to take on in that ship, and even if we could, it would require for us to get closer." He motioned to the ship they were in. "And this ship is far from capable of surviving for even a second out there."

"Point taken." Artemis stated. He held back a wince as a huge explosion blasted away a section of the tunnel wall, sending showers of rock flying into a group of allied fighters. "So we must wait until Opal makes her move."

"Indeed."

The boy sighed. "Then I hope she hurries up, I'm getting tired of sitting here."

Quan nodded slightly. "We all are."

**Lost Cavern – Battlefield**

"Eat this!" Holly growled through clenched teeth as she gripped the controls, pressing the trigger multiple times as she dove into an enemy formation.

Blue laser bursts erupted from her ship, careening into the squadron of gunships ahead of her with powerful force. The daemon fighters exploded violently as the energy beams melted through their reactors, their burning wrecks spiraling through the air, some colliding with other enemy ships. Holly pulled out of the dive, dodging several bursts of fire in the process.

The battle was terribly brutal. Their initial charge had decimated many of the daemon ships, four-hundred at least, making a large hole in their ranks. However, as the enemy forces engaged them on equal footing, the fighting became intense, their numbers and mindless brutality nearly overwhelming them on several occasions already. Things were made no easier with the presence of Opal's command ship, which delivered a swift death to anyone who got too close to it. They had been in combat for only a few minutes, and already they had sustained dozens of casualties. Holly grimaced as the human ship that had been covering her flank was torn apart by a pursuing dreadnaught's main guns. The fight, even if they won, was going to have a very steep price.

Holly noticed that the large daemon ship was now pursuing her, ripping through any allied ships that got in its way.

"So you wanna dance huh?" She growled defiantly.

Holly pulled up as the trailing dreadnaught fired a flurry of cannon rounds, dodging the glowing explosive shells by a mere meter. She kept pulling up into a steep loop, leaving the much slower ship far below. At a thousand meters above the dreadnaught, Holly cut the engine, letting her ship turn on a dime as it dropped back down towards the enemy, which was turning to meet her. With a roar, Holly restarted the boosters, flying recklessly down into the fray. The dreadnaught had yet to come about fully. Its point-defense turrets opened fire at the diving elf, filling the air with hot lead. Holly turned from the path of the attack, dodging about like lighting as she closed in, adrenaline filling her veins. The dreadnaught began charging its main guns, but it was too late. With gravity as her ally, Holly unleashed several high velocity missiles, sending them flying into the ship at speeds well over mach four. Before it could even see them coming, the missiles punched into the dreadnaught's midsection, tearing through its reactor as they exploded. From Holly's view, the large ship erupted like a volcano, its armored sides bursting outward before ripping apart in a cloud of fire.

_That's another one down. _Holly thought as she passed through the cloud of smoke and flame, emerging into the ever chaotic battle once more. _Over a thousand to go!_

It was true that, despite her powerful efforts thus far, she had only scratched the enemy's forces. They were far too many to take on in continuous combat, their combined power simply overwhelming. If they were to make it through the day, she needed to try something else.

"Trouble, what's your status?" She yelled, blasting through an enemy gunship as she did.

"_Very much alive, though we're taking a pounding out here." _He responded, the sound of his ship's guns firing evident behind him. _"They're numbers are becoming a serious problem."_

"My thoughts exactly." Holly said roughly, her face fierce as she tore another gunship apart from below, sending a shower of melted metal raining past her.

"_I suppose you have a plan then?"_ Came another voice, that of Commander Ivankov.

"_Oh great."_ Trouble said. _"This has turned into a mid-air conference call."_

"_It's the best kind of conference call in my opinion."_ Borislav stated in return.

"Alright." Holly interjected. "Yes, I do have a plan...hold on a sec."

Captain Short veered her ship to the right as a squadron of gunships fired on her, activating the interceptor's side thrusters, allowing her to keep moving forwards whilst on an angle. As she drifted the ship, Holly opened up with its heavy guns, peppering each of the gunships as she flew by them. The attacking ships, now littered with fist sized holes, fell to their doom. Holly stabilized her ship, switching the channel back on as she did so.

"As I was saying, I have a plan, though I'm a bit too busy to explain it right now." She said.

"_Oh, that kind of plan."_ Ivankov stated. _"I guess we'll know what to do when we see it."_

"Yep." Holly grunted, again caught in a vicious game of cat and mouse with a dreadnaught. The large warship was hot on her tail, and was on the verge of firing. As she prepared to evade, a stream of energy blasts and missiles tore into the ship, disintegrating its control room in an instant. Holly looked back in time to see two interceptors, one human and the other LEP, fly past her. It was obvious who they were.

"_Captain Short, we'll cover you until you can hatch this plan of yours." _Commander Kelp called out. _"Just don't expect us to follow you on your borderline insane maneuvers." _

Holly grinned slyly. "Thanks." She said as she activated her ship's turbobooster. "Try to keep up!"

Her interceptor blasted forward with a bright flash as it went turbo, going so fast that the daemon ships couldn't even aim in her general direction before she was long gone. As she flew, Holly fired off missiles into anything that got close, blasting at least seven more gunships into oblivion. Alongside her, Trouble and Ivanokov held back any attempts by the enemy to flank her, blowing up ships in an almost competitive fashion.

Holly actually didn't have a plan per se, more like a hunch that would, if proven correct, precipitate into a plan. She eyed Opal's command ship in the distance, a small grin upon her face. _I hope this works._

Without a moment's hesitation, Holly threw her ship towards the large monstrosity. Getting within range of its defense grid was a virtual death sentence, but for Holly, it was an irresistible challenge. Behind her, Trouble and Ivankov broke off, obviously unwilling to even attempt what Holly was intent on doing, eliciting an amused look from the elf.

As she closed in on the battleship, its intricate network of point-defense guns lit up like a supernova, casting a wave of gleaming projectiles into her direction at a rate of over one-hundred rounds per second each. The streams of deadly fire cut through the air with dreadful precision, but Holly was even more precise. With a series of maneuvers that would make most experienced pilots vomit from confusion, the elf dodged and weaved, spun and dove, evading the dozens of turrets in an almost graceful dance. It should have been impossible to avoid the hundred odd guns that were firing upon her, but she did it anyway, all the while closing in on what she knew was the bridge of the ship.

Not too far away from Holly, Opal Koboi watched the battle, her face serious and eyes filled with ill intent. Her forces were beginning to gain the upper hand against the LEP and their allies, their numbers as well as the battleship's support simply an overwhelming force that a mere four-hundred ships could not even hope to defeat. Despite this, however, Opal knew that she should refrain from assuming a total victory just yet, given her enemy's propensity to pull off extraordinary feats in their darkest hours. Still, she allowed herself to grin, her heart delighting with every enemy ship that was blown from the air.

Her attention was diverted from the battle as a proximity warning beeped loudly. Opal raised an eyebrow, perplexed. An enemy ship was somehow evading her defense system, which was by all accounts impossible. As she reviewed the sensor details, a faint wink of light flashed before the bridge's view port. Koboi turned to the window, eying the distant object, which was moving so fast and with such agility that her turrets were all missing it by a long shot. She narrowed her eyes. _Impossible!_

With a burst of speed, the small dot grew into the unmistakable form of an LEP interceptor, which was heading straight for her. The ship lit up as it unleashed a volley of laser blasts and light missiles, sending the ordnance slamming directly into the control room's window. It wasn't enough to even scratch the shields that covered the ship, but it was more than enough to make a lot of noise. Opal flinched as the room shook violently, followed by the muffled roar of the LEP fighter's engines as it flew right over her, rolling upside down as it did so. Opal wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, but she could have sworn she saw the pilot of the interceptor flip her off with both hands.

Koboi stood dumbfounded upon the bridge. It took her a couple of seconds to fully grasp the inconceivable occurrence. The fighter had survived the battle thus far, charged recklessly at her ship (which was a death wish), evaded well over a hundred turrets simultaneously, barraged her window with a volley of missiles, buzzed over the control room by mere inches at supersonic speeds, and flipped her off as she did so. Opal's eyes narrowed with hatred. There was only one LEP officer capable of such insane actions. _Holly_ _Short, that ludicrous bitch!_

Holly grinned as she flew away from the large warship. _That must have made her mad._

Opal angrily searched for the elf with her magic, hoping to find her close enough to strike down herself. To her dismay, Holly had already blended back into the chaos and was miles away, far enough to make a magical strike a great nuisance. Had there not been such a high level of interference, she could easily project her attack magic for many miles. But with the Gate so close, she found that her more powerful attacks were less effective at such ranges. This, of course, did not deter her. In a moment of rage, Opal cast her dark magic towards Holly's ship, disregarding everything in between.

The large beam of crimson magic flew through the air like a giant serpent, engulfing everything in its path and subsequently rending it to individual atoms. Though a few allied ships were caught in the attack, the majority were Opal's own. Of course, she didn't care, her focus on the infuriating captain that had pushed her buttons yet again. The dreadful beam cut through the battlefield, catching up to Holly in a matter of seconds, destroying at least a hundred daemon ships in the process.

Holly didn't need to look back to know what was going on. She had just pissed off the most powerful and insane being on the planet, and was now being chased by a wall of death, though luckily it was already inflicting casualties upon the enemy. Now she had to avoid Koboi's magic, or the rest of her plan would be void. She dove, looped, and turned all directions, but the magical beast followed her, relentless, meaning that her only option was to outrun it and hope that it would lose its strength. She threw her engines past their maximum limit, pushing the interceptor as hard as she could. As she flew away, the magic began to fizzle, almost as though it were being consumed by a greater force. Eventually, it faded completely, leaving nothing but a faint cloud of crimson mist.

Holly breathed a sigh of relief, spinning her ship around swiftly to face the distant battleship. That had been a close call to say the least. Opal's magic was a dreadful thing to behold, especially when it was chasing her like a giant leviathan, Holly's heart still beating frantically from the intense escape. She had finished the first part of her plan, now she waited for the next one.

Opal growled angrily as she felt her magic lose its potency, the Gate's own energy picking it apart, smothering it like a wet blanket on a fire. _Damn is this interference getting annoying! _She thought, her heart beating rapidly from being so close to killing Holly, yet not close enough. She could still sense her, now about three miles away. She had to kill her. Apart from being an extraordinary pilot, Holly was an enormous moral booster, and Koboi knew that if she could destroy her, the rest would follow after. Besides the logical reasons for wanting her dead, Opal simply hated her with a passion, which was a well established fact.

With a ferocious yell, Opal spoke over her fleet's channel. "Assault wings six through ten, engage the designated LEP fighter at the marked grid coordinates. Do whatever it takes to destroy her!"

Opal shut off the channel, screwing her eyes shut with intense anger. _Clam down, they will be dead soon enough. Just don't lose focus on your goal!_

She opened her eyes, now recomposed and dreadfully serious. She didn't have time for this, she had to get moving with her plan. If she waited any longer, there was not telling what they would pull out of their sleeves. Victory was hinged on getting to the Gate, not winning the battle that raged around her. With a determined gaze, Opal looked to the looming wall, now only a few miles away.

"All ahead full." She commanded. "We need to finish this now!"

With a flare of its massive engines, the large battleship tripled its speed. Around it, three-hundred daemon ships ceased their attacks on the allied forces, instead heading straight for Holly.

* * *

Upon seeing the large group of ships break off in pursuit of her, Holly smiled mischievously. "Thanks Opal."

With the large number of ships disengaged from the main fight, the allied forces would have much better chances, the stress of being outnumbered now alleviated by a great degree. The only problem now was that the fleet of daemon warships was charging at her instead.

With the smile still plastered upon her visage, Holly plunged her ship into a steep dive, heading straight down into the fields of stalagmites that covered the ground. The massive stone pillars that covered the lava pitted floor formed a forest of solid rock that stretched two thousand meters into the air. It was perfect.

Holly flew into the depths, hundreds of daemon ships right behind her, firing relentlessly in her direction. As she dodged the attacks, the LEP captain charged into the gloomy forest of magma lit stone. With the stalagmites stretching so high into the air, attack from above was almost impossible, leaving the daemon forces with no other choice but to follow. Splitting into three equal groups, the hostile fleet pursued the LEP ship, two groups entering the fields of stone pillars whilst the other rose to fly overhead, each hunting their prey with mindless tenacity.

Holly weaved through the maze of stone, one of the groups directly behind her. As missiles and cannon rounds exploded against the pillars around her, she kept an eye out for the other groups, which she knew were trying to flank her. Sure enough, right ahead of her, a daemon dreadnaught hovered into view. Holly kept on course, eying the large pool of lava right beneath the waiting warship. With dozens of gunships in close pursuit, Holly opened fire upon the approaching dreadnaught, striking one of its engines and stabilizers with several laser blasts. Normally it would only slightly faze such a powerful ship, but in such a tight space, even the slightest loss of control meant total disaster. Holly blasted over the listing ship as it slammed into the side of a stalagmite, causing for it to utterly lose control. The massive ship plunged into the deep pool of lava with a fiery splash, followed by the rumble of its overheating reactor as it sank.

With a loud boom, the dreadnaught exploded beneath the magma, sending a wall of lava flying high into the air above it, right in the way of the pursuing gunships. Some tried to evade only to end up smashing into rock formations, their forms crumpling upon impact. The rest, out of sheer desperation, stayed on course, flying through the cloud of molten rock. The magma and the daemons slammed together, melting many of the ships beyond recognition, whilst others lost control as it grabbed onto them. The magma solidified upon the fast moving gunships, either weighing them down completely or clogging their engine's air intakes, either way causing for them to explode, crash or both. In a matter of seconds, almost a hundred daemon ships were destroyed.

Now a far distance away, Holly grinned with satisfaction as the explosions echoed through the stone forest. _That's one group down, only two to go. _She thought casually, navigating through the confusing rock formations with ease.

Her thought process was interrupted as several explosions went off around her, one of them sending glowing hot shrapnel into her ship's wing. It tore into her gun batteries, disabling two out of the six blasters, but miraculously leaving her ship intact. Holly spun out of the way as more missiles rained down from above, looking up in time to see one of the groups diving down towards her like madmen, firing relentlessly.

"D'Arvit!" Holly swore as she evaded the attacks, retreating into a dense area of stalagmites, the resounding explosions buffeting her ship violently. "That was close, way too close!"

The trailing gunships were quick to follow her, not losing track at all as they flew down into the depths. The group that had just attacked her was the one that had taken the above route, meaning that there was a second somewhere within the maze, and that none remained above. It was what Holly wanted, minus the damage to her ship.

Her ship shook as several cannon rounds bounced off of its reactive plating, announcing the presence of the enemy ships behind her. Ahead, she could make out the forms of several gunships as they tried to flank her, their red engine flare glowing brightly amidst the gloom. She had no doubt that the rest of the second force was waiting ahead of her, showing just how skilled the daemon pilots actually were in predicting her movements.

With an irritated glare, Holly arced her ship upward, rising high above the flanking ships. She weaved through a series of larger stalagmites before diving down, right behind the gunships, who thought that she was still in front of them. Before they could react, Holly lit them up with her four remaining cannons, blasting them apart like fragile glassware.

Holly weaved through the rock again, though the daemons were not directly on her tail anymore. Still, she knew that they would find her soon enough.

"Hey, are you two still available?" She called through her communicator.

There was a slightly static wash in the channel, followed by the sounds of intense combat.

"_Affirmative__."_ Ivankov stated intensely, an explosion booming near him.

"_Yeah, I'm here."_ Trouble responded.

Holly grinned. "Good, cause I need you two to make a mess down here. I'm currently in the stalagmite formations below, along with a few hundred enemy ships." She saw the enemy pursuing her out of the corner of her eye. "I think it's time for you to spring the trap."

"_Already on it Captain."_ Borislav said smoothly over the sounds of war. _"Expect a lot of noise."_

"I'm counting on it." Holly replied, noting the enemy ships gaining on her.

High above the stalagmites, two allied ships broke off from the combat, flying at supersonic speeds towards the dense rock formations.

"_We've got your coordinates."_ Trouble called out. _"Be careful, you may get caught up in this too."_

"Just do it!" Holly yelled, now dodging enemy attacks by the dozens.

"_Alright then."_ Trouble responded. _"Ivankov, let's give our friend a helping hand."_

"_With pleasure."_

As Holly desperately evaded the fleet of gunships on her tail, the human and LEP interceptors locked onto their targets. With a massive whoosh, each of the two ships unloaded the rest of their missiles, sending the high yield ordnance flying into the fiery gloom below. The missiles didn't even get close to the daemon ships or Holly. Instead they flew far ahead of them and their fleeing prey, weaving into the maze of stone pillars swiftly, dispersing about the section of stalagmites ahead of Holly. With a colossal series of explosions and bright flashes, the missiles rammed into the bases of the gigantic stone pillars. From her position a few hundred meters away, Holly's face tightened with determination. _Here we go!_

As Holly lead the daemon ships towards the smoking pillars, a great cracking sound reverberated throughout the area, followed by hundreds more. The loud noise was soon amplified to a deafening one as the massive stalagmites lurched violently, their structural integrity compromised by the concussive blasts. By now Holly was a few seconds from them, the daemons close behind, following like famished wolves. She gripped the controls tightly, her visage cast in concentration.

All at once, the entire area around them began to collapse, the massive pillars falling in all directions, stone flying through the air in huge clumps. As the compromised stalagmites fell, they collided with other ones that still stood, causing for them to fall as well, followed by another and another. From high above, it looked like a jumbled mess of dominoes dropping one after the other in a giant chain reaction.

Holly clenched her teeth as she dodged the storm of rock fragments, the pieces flying at her easily twice the size of her ship. All around her, the great stalagmites fell, crushing everything in their path, great globs of lava flying into the air as the stone splashed into the magma pits. Staying anywhere near there meant death, she had to get out and fast.

Explosions filled the air behind her as a wave of stone collided with the daemon squadrons, pulverizing them instantaneously as they chased the LEP fighter, amazingly persistent. Others tried to evade their doom, flying up out of the chaos, but were quickly destroyed by the jumble of falling stone, pounded until they exploded. The fires of the ruined daemon force amalgamated with the glowing magma as it was thrown about violently, filling the air and the ground with the fiery gleam of death.

Holly didn't slow to witness the destruction. She knew that all of her pursuers were dead, and was now doing everything she could to keep herself from joining them. She held the controls with a white knuckled grip as she flew over fires, dodged boulders and crashing gunships, and narrowly passed in between falling pillars as they closed like giant maws. The noise, despite the muffled interior of the ship and her helmet, was horrendous. Crashing stone, booming explosions and howling winds taunted her as she pushed through the destruction, making her push the ship even harder.

"Almost there!" She told herself as she saw an opening in the storm. It was small and ever getting smaller, the pillars on either side beginning to fall inward. She had seconds to make it through.

"Come on, go faster!" She yelled as she pushed the ship forward, throwing it into overdrive.

Fragments pelleted against the ship's canopy, making it sound like an enormous hail storm. Dust and fire chased her from below, begging for her to come with them into the dark abyss. It was almost terrifying. The gap was now only a bit larger than her ship. She clenched her teeth, glaring with iron determination as she charged towards her salvation. She didn't blink or even feel the slightest bit of doubt as she neared it, even as it grew lesser in size, almost too much so.

_I have not come this far. _She thought, eyes filled with resolve. _To die now!_

With a loud crash and a cloud of broken stone, the sleek interceptor burst through the opening, flying into the open air of the cavern at astonishing speeds. Behind it, the stone pillars exploded as they collided, a massive cloud of dust and fire rising like a horrid beast in its wake.

Holly sat in her ship, her face still intense, her hands still holding the controls in a vice grip. After she was sure she was out, she let out a huge sigh of relief, followed by a very wide grin. Everything had gone according to plan.

A loud noise came up behind her, followed by the discernible forms of two interceptors.

"_Captain, glad you decided to join us."_ Ivankov said jovially.

"_You're crazy, you know that Holly?_" Trouble added jokingly, though he was not far from the truth.

Holly gave them a wave as they formed up beside her. "Are you really that surprised?"

"_No."_ Both of the said simultaneously.

Holly grinned a little more before turning her eyes to the battle that raged and the massive form of Opal's ship. It had reached the wall completely unchallenged, and was now sitting motionless before it. What was Opal up to?

"Thanks to Koboi's hatred towards me, we have eliminated over three-hundred of her ships." She stated.

"_Indeed."_ Trouble responded. _"This will ease the weight upon our forces. The battle, excluding Opal's command ship, is turning in our favor. Once we clean up her ships, we can focus on her."_

"Then let's get to it!" Holly stated with fiery eyes.

With Holly taking point, the three fighters activated their boosters, rocketing towards the immense battle that was filling the air.

* * *

Opal Koboi frowned with displeasure as three-hundred of her ships were destroyed by Holly's grandstanding skill, their digital tags upon her battlemap winking out as they were picked off in droves. When she had diverted her forces from the main battle, she knew she would be giving her enemy a better chance, but such was unimportant so long as Holly was killed. Of course, the annoying elf was very much alive, and all of the ships she had sent were doomed. She wanted to think otherwise, but she knew that it was all intended, that Holly had counted on her endless hatred to cause for such a careless decision. Opal silently ridiculed herself. She should have seen it coming!

_Regardless, I hardly have time for any of this foolish musing. _She thought._ They may very well defeat my forces here, but as long as they are held back long enough it won't matter._

She regarded the smooth wall looming before her, a feral desire in her eyes. Her undeniable victory awaited behind that wall, the source of her godhood, the power that would destroy everything. She grinned, the irritation of the battle around her fading from her mind. Nothing mattered, not as long as she won in the end. Her battleship was invincible and her own self almost equally so.

_They may be able to destroy my fleet, but it will cost them so much that in the end they will be battered and weak. _Her eyes gleamed brighter as they widened with anticipation. _They can try all they want, but apart from being a huge vexation, they have yet to show themselves capable of stopping me._

Opal turned her attention to the energy readings on her monitors. All systems were running flawlessly, and the ship was at optimal range from the tunnel wall.

"Excellent." She said devilishly, smiling like a madman as she clicked a few buttons. After she did so, a single red notification flashed upon her monitor, begging for a command. Koboi moved to the very front of the bridge, making sure that she had a good view, her eyes gleaming a sickly red.

"Let the final stage begin!" She yelled rancorously. With the insane grin still on her face, Opal pointed her arm forward towards the wall, motioning confidently.

"Fire!"

A deep rumble coursed through the ship, rising from the reactors and running to the frontal energy stores. Outside, the massive laser cannon that dominated the bow of the battleship began to glow brightly, the same bloody crimson as Opal's eyes. The gathering energy made the gun's barrel lambent with heat energy, red particles swirling around it as the power levels reached a maximum.

* * *

As she engaged the remaining daemon ships, Holly looked warily at the growing ball of deadly energy that was amassing before the ship. Her eyes widened as the very air around her seemed to shake.

"All ships," She yelled. "Clear the area in front of the enemy flagship! It's about to-"

There was massive flash of red and a deafening boom as the air in front of Opal's ship exploded with energy. A colossal beam shot from the main gun, its diameter expanding to a mile as it flew forward, engulfing everything in its path. Holly pulled her ship away from the searing laser blast, its temperature seeping into her cockpit despite it being miles away. As she retreated, she looked back, just in time to witness its collision with the tunnel wall.

With a loud thump followed by a shrill hissing noise, the beam slammed into the center of the wall, causing for the entire cavern to shake. Fire and stone blasted from the impact, raining through the air as the laser fired continuously into the wall. After a few seconds, the stone around it began to glow hotly, then swirl around in a circular motion as it melted away to the laser's power. A three mile section of the wall swirled clockwise with the laser, the previously solid stone now the consistency of molasses as it bubbled and spat. As the laser drilled deeper into the rock, a steady flow of magma gushed from the area of impact, forming a scorching waterfall as it plummeted to the cavern floor. The laser kept firing as more and more magma flew from the forming tunnel, filling the entire cavern floor in moments, creating a sea of molten rock.

Holly gaped at the display of sheer power. "By the gods!"

The seemingly endless stream of crimson energy continued relentlessly, raising the temperature within the cavern to an almost stifling degree as it ate away at the wall before it. After several long minutes the beam was abruptly cut off, its dreadful form crackling away into thin air. Where the smooth cavern wall used to be loomed a perfectly circular tunnel, its walls still glowing hot and dripping with melted stone, a lambent maw gaping with monstrous hunger. Another crimson lit cavern was visible at the far end of it, about ten miles away. It was Opal's final destination: the location of the Gate.

* * *

Opal looked up at the gigantic tunnel before her, pleased by the results.

"As if ten miles of bedrock could impede me." She said. "And now the last obstacle is removed from my path."

Koboi eyed the cavern at the far end, feeling the power washing from it in waves. It brought a smile to her face.

"Time to finish this."

* * *

With a roaring response from its engines, Opal's battleship blasted forward into the tunnel. The large globs of glowing magma that drooped lazily from the ceiling splattered onto the large ship, though all they did was sizzle momentarily before sliding off of its shields, leaving not a trace of their passage. As it entered the new passageway, the remaining daemon ships seemed to double their efforts, fighting with unbelievable ferocity in an attempt to hold the allied forces at bay. By now, only a half-dozen or so dreadnaughts and one-hundred gunships remained. On the opposing side, about two-hundred interceptors still flew. The odds were, for once, in their favor.

"_All ships, wipe out the remaining enemy forces!"_ Trouble commanded as he tore through an enemy ship.

Around the cavern, the fighting continued uninterrupted, the absence of Opal's battleship leaving the daemons with little advantage.

Holly watched as Koboi traveled down the tunnel, absentmindedly engaging enemy ships as though it were a simple reflex.

"Trouble, we can't let her get in there!" She yelled.

The Commander was quick to reply._ "I know, but we can't do so with all of these ships on our tails."_

Holly frowned with frustration, but knew that Trouble was right. They would make short work of the remaining ships, and then they would go after Koboi.

* * *

A dozen miles away sat a lone LEP shuttle, lodged into a cliff face above the war zone. Artemis watched apprehensively from the control room of the ship, his face showing the signs of worry. Opal had just removed the only thing in between her and the Gate, and as the allied forces still fought against the enemy fleet, she was getting closer an closer to unlimited power. The boy looked to the others with him, the warlocks in particular.

Quan noticed the expression on Artemis' face, and nodded. "Indeed, we have sat on the sidelines for far too long." He said, his eyes upon the newly formed tunnel. "Opal is getting close. If we are not there to challenge her, she will win."

"Then let's get going." Butler rumbled, his voice utterly commanding.

"And go through that?" Mulch exclaimed, pointing to the explosion filled air, the forms of hundreds of dogfighting ships dotting the area.

"Naturally." Artemis stated impassively.

The dwarf frowned, knowing that there was no other option. "Well, don't blame me if we end up plastered to a wall."

Artemis cocked a brow. "But you are the pilot, thus you would be to blame."

Mulch gave the boy a sly grin. "You want me to use my _talents_ in this very room?"

Artemis frowned, noting Butler's look of unease at the mention of Mulch's _talents_. "No."

"Well then." Mulch said enthusiastically. "I suggest you cease your smart remarks and take a seat."

The dwarf strapped himself into the pilot's seat at the front of the control room, muttering something about the vexatious nature of overly intelligent mud boys.

Everyone else took the cue and did the same, not wanting to be caught standing when the ship dropped from the wall. Even Artemis, despite having been told off by a kleptomaniac dwarf, acquiesced. With the explosions flashing in the distance, Mulch started the ship's engines, a mischievous look on his face. As they powered up, he looked over his shoulder, grinning ear to ear.

"I'm obligated to inform you that I'm not a qualified pilot."

Artemis frowned. "That is painfully obvious."

Butler looked up from cleaning his gun. "What!?"

The dwarf laughed, grabbing hold of the controls. "Too late!" He yelled. "Hold on kiddies!"

With a final guffaw, Mulch unlatched the ship's clamps, sending them plummeting into the conflict below.

* * *

Holly grinned wildly as she blasted another daemon ship apart, not even blinking as she passed through the resulting cloud of fiery debris. They were massacring the remaining enemy forces, the one sided nature of the fighting a wonderful change. She was about to engage another enemy when she saw the obvious form of an LEP shuttle dropping from above. With a confused look, she opened a channel.

"Artemis, what are you guys doing?" She yelled.

"_Taking action."_ The boy responded firmly.

Holly grimaced. "By dropping into this mess? You'll be torn apart!"

"_That's why you're here."_ Artemis said._ "We need to get to Opal before she reaches the Gate. Waiting until her forces here are taken care of will take too long."_

Holly nodded understandingly, though she still worried for their safety. "Then I'm coming with you."

"_I expected no less from you, Holly."_ Artemis responded warmly.

As the shuttle dove into the fray, Holly flew to meet it, blasting through any daemon ships in her way.

A voice came through from the shuttle again, though this time it was Mulch.

"_Oh hello captain."_ The dwarf said slyly. _"Decided to help out little old me?"_

"Just get to the tunnel!" She yelled, intercepting an enemy ship as it closed in on the shuttle.

"_No need to get in a kerfuffle." _Mulch responded enthusiastically. _"Just try to keep up."_

"I think it is you who should be worrying about that." Holly retorted.

"_Oh, you'd be surprised."_ The kleptomaniac stated mischievously.

Suddenly, the shuttle blasted away at astounding speed, taking even Holly by surprise. Such confusion was quickly diluted by the fact that Mulch was outrunning her. _Not on my watch. _Holly thought excitedly.

With a loud response from its engines, Holly's interceptor charged after the LEP shuttle, gunning down enemy ships along the way.

"Commander!" Holly called. "Artemis and the others are making their way towards the tunnel."

Trouble didn't sound surprised. _"Indeed they are." _He paused. "_I'll lend as much support as I can."_

"Roger that." Holly responded, her attention still on the LEP shuttle in front of her. Mulch was better than she expected.

The bulky LEP shuttle flew at ludicrous speeds as it weaved in between the enemy ships, every now and then leaving a few laser blasts in one. Mulch opened a channel to Holly again.

"_Having a hard time keeping up eh?" _He teased.

"If you haven't noticed." Holly said loudly as she shot down another gunship. "I've been covering your fat behind!"

"_Doesn't count."_ The dwarf said tauntingly.

"Just shut it will you? I'm working!" Holly said angrily.

Mulch was about to make a silly comeback when he saw a looming shadow drop from above. At the last second, the dwarf swerved the ship out of the way, just as a daemon dreadnaught dove down menacingly, chasing after the shuttle.

"_Uh, sorry about that."_ Mulch called out. _"Could you perhaps get this guy off me?"_

Holly grinned. "No problem."

The elf flew after the dreadnaught, firing into its engines. As she did so, several gunships entered the fray, seeking to engage the easy target that was the LEP shuttle. Holly bit her lip anxiously. She couldn't stop all of them.

"_Don't worry Captain."_ Came Borislav's familiar Russian articulation. _"We've got this."_

A split second later, the daemon ships exploded, torn apart by high powered pulse guns. As the ships fell away, seven human interceptors flew past Holly, engaging anything that got close. Alongside them, several LEP fighters also appeared, including Trouble's.

"_We'll take care of them Holly."_ Trouble stated confidently. _"Just stay with that shuttle at all times."_

"Got it sir!" She said, flying forth to form up beside Artemis' ship.

Whilst the two ships rocketed towards the still glowing tunnel, dozens of allied fighters engaged any nearby ships, giving Holly and her friends a clear path.

Trouble kept close to the shuttle, ever vigilant against the hostile ships as they ferociously sought to hold them back. With silent concentration, he took out two gunships as they tried to drop in from above, and another three that followed. As he engaged another daemon gunship, Kelp's wingman spiraled out of control, his fighter filled with holes. Trouble dodged at the last second as another volley of cannon rounds blazed past him, clipping his wing only slightly. As he looped over his previous position, he saw the hulking form of a dreadnaught, its point-defense guns slicing through several more of his colleagues as they tried to get it off of their commander's tail. Kelp glared at the ship as he flipped his ship around, sending it right down on top of the dreadnaught. He fired into the heavily armored ship relentlessly, pummeling it with hundreds of laser blasts. The dreadnaught, still focused on the other LEP ships, didn't seem to care. All it wanted to do was kill.

"Just die!" Trouble yelled as he threw more and more rounds into its hull, leaving dozens of holes and causing for the ship to list clumsily.

_"I'll provide fire from the bottom!"_ Ivankov called.

The human commander's ship came from below, rising to face the dreadnaught's underbelly. With Trouble still firing into its upper levels, Borislav unloaded on its underside, riddling it with holes. The combined forces sliced the ship clean in half, its two separate halves dropping away before exploding.

"_That's the last of those big ones."_ Ivankov stated. _"And there's only a few of the others left."_ He paused. _"It seems as though Captain Short and Fowl have reached the tunnel unscathed."_

"That's good news." Trouble said, eying the distant tunnel. "Let's clean this mess up so that we can join them."

A gunship exploded beside him, Borislav's jet black interceptor flying through the fireball._ "Way ahead of you."_

* * *

"Form up behind me." Holly commanded as they entered the still glowing tunnel, its molten walls still dripping in spots.

"_Aye aye captain!"_ Mulch responded jovially.

Holly rolled her eyes. "Mulch, at least pretend to be serious."

_"Hey, this is how I deal with stressful situations."_ He stated. _"I either run my ass off or, if I can't, laugh it in the face."_

"That's quite a contrast." Holly deadpanned.

"_Exactly."_ The dwarf said, perplexing Holly to a great degree. She didn't even know why she bothered trying to understand him. It was like trying to make sense of a swear toad's ramblings, which was possible, but required extensive knowledge of expletives that didn't exist.

The two ships blasted down the circular tunnel, dodging falling globs of magma from time to time, but otherwise completely unimpeded. Clearly, Opal was entirely focused on reaching the Gate, not at all interested in fighting them.

As Holly led them through the tunnel, she saw dozens of shapes out of the corner of her eye, forming up a few miles behind them. She grinned. It appeared as though the rest of their forces had finished the enemy fleet, and were now rushing to join them.

"_We're right behind you!"_ Trouble called out, fiery anticipation in his voice.

"Then let's take the fight to Opal herself." Holly stated determinedly, feeling a growing excitement at the prospect of fighting the pixie directly instead of her puppet army.

With the lambent walls casting a menacing light over their traveling forms, the remainder of the LEP and human forces barreled down the tunnel, eager to finish the fight.


	18. Into the Fire

**Inner Cavern**

Opal Koboi's eyes gleamed with immoral hunger as she viewed the cavern before her. Her ship had just passed through the tunnel, emerging into a large, circular expanse. The walls were perfectly shaped, the stone covered with ancient markings in a pattern that eluded understanding. There were no stalactites or any other signs of the passage of time within the cavern, leaving it with a preserved feeling, as though it was encapsulated within its own dimension. Far below, a lambent sea of lava boiled voraciously, its glowing surface rippling from an unseen force. Opal's attention, however, was not directed upon any of these features. Rather, she was focused on the single abnormality in the otherwise symmetrical design of the chamber. On the far end, built upon a large outcropping, was a cave. Its entrance was gilded with runes and precisely shaped stone, giving it an immediate appearance of importance. Koboi knew that within the shrouded recesses of the ancient cave was her Trump Card, the greatest power in the world.

"All ground units, prepare to disembark and secure an LZ." Opal stated coolly, eying the readouts on her sensory grid, thinking that her forces were keeping the enemy busy. To her slight dismay, she saw that her entire fleet had been annihilated, and that the remaining enemy forces were charging down the tunnel that she had made.

Opal frowned slightly, but didn't seem all that surprised. With a heartless expression, she opened a channel, her voice level but dangerous.

"All guns, target the assigned coordinates, bring that tunnel down on their heads."

As her ship's docking bays filled with the activity of loading dropships, hundreds of high powered turrets turned to face the still glowing passageway, their barrels lighting up as they prepared to fire. With a combined cacophony that shook the earth, the guns erupted, filling the adjacent tunnel with the blinding glare of fire.

* * *

"Oh crap!" Holly exclaimed as the battleship opened fire. "She's going to bring the tunnel down!"

"_You don't say!"_ Trouble yelled over the channel.

Holly and Artemis' shuttle were several miles ahead of the Trouble and the allied ships. As the deluge of fire slammed into the tunnel's roof, just a mile ahead of Holly, it became immediately apparent that most of them were not going to get through in time.

The glowing walls of the tunnel were decimated by the bombardment. Stone and fire flew in all directions, the sound of enormous cracks coupling with the loud noise of the ship's guns. In no time, the end of the tunnel was collapsing, the dense stone torn asunder by the ruthless assault.

"D'arvit!" Holly swore as she sped towards the chaos, the shuttle close behind.

"_I assume we're going through that?"_ Mulch stated apprehensively.

"We have no other choice!" Holly yelled. "We can't let her get away!"

A massive cannon round blasted through the air only a few feet from Mulch's shuttle.

"_This is crazy!"_

"Just shut up and stay behind me!"

The two ships flew recklessly into the destructive mess, the tunnel roof caving in above them. Several miles behind, the allied forces pulled to a halt, cut off almost immediately by several massive chunks of bedrock. Holly grimaced as the stone fell around them. Even if they made it through, they were on their own. Still, it was better than leaving Opal free to do as she pleased.

With a solid grip on the controls, Holly flew through the flurry of stone, blasting away pieces of rock to clear a path for the less skillful dwarf flying the shuttle. The earth shook violently as the tunnel caved in completely, the guns still firing into it mercilessly. After a few long seconds of high speed evasive maneuvers, the two ships burst out of the chaos, emerging into the well lit cavern.

"_Holly, the entire tunnel just went down. We're cut off from you!"_ Trouble yelled, fury evident in his voice.

"I know, it's just the two of our ships in here." Holly responded, diving low to avoid the bombarding turrets.

"_You can't possibly take her on alone!"_The elf shouted worryingly.

"There's nothing to do but that, Trouble." She said surely. "We will do everything we can to stop her."

There was a long pause.

"_Fine."_ Trouble said, his voice suddenly tired. _"Just please, make it out alive."_

Holly nodded determinedly. "We will, I promise."

Trouble's response was cut off by the sound of gunfire, and before she could fully react, several powerful charges ripped through Holly's ship, crippling her communication and tracking systems. Holly cursed, caught off guard by how quickly Opal had seen them. With an infuriated growl, she swung her ship away from the attacks, looking for the shuttle that was supposed to be with her. After a few seconds, she made out the form of the LEP ship above her, trying to evade the point-defense guns on Opal's ship. She couldn't communicate with them, which made it even worse as the ship was hammered by several rounds, causing for it to plummet towards the lava below. Holly gasped as it disappeared from her sight. She didn't see anything collide with the magma, but her point of view was restricted at best, leaving her with only deductions. She couldn't go near to see what had befallen her friends, the intense fire from the ship calling for all of her attention. Holly took a calming breath, reasoning that they were alright, that they had thought of something. All she could do was hope. With a deadly glare, Holly brought her ship around, pointing it towards Koboi's monstrosity.

* * *

Opal Koboi glared daggers at the LEP interceptor in front of her. It had to be Holly, no one else could avoid her defenses so easily. The thought of the elf made her furious.

"Out of all the enemy ships, it just had to be you that made it through!" She yelled angrily. "I should have just blown the cave right from the start!"

It was painfully obvious that she had made a big mistake in leaving the tunnel open for the enemy to pursue her. Had she been thinking straight earlier, she would have brought it down the moment her ship got through. Of course, that was not the case, and now she was stuck with the most annoying LEP officer in the world.

Opal continued to watch as the ship evaded the numerous turrets, firing futilely against the ship's heavy shields. The pixie managed a slight grin. "No matter, I will just finish you myself."

Without the slightest effort, Opal formed a volley of magical bolts outside the ship, hurling them spitefully towards the small interceptor. The dark magic careened through the air, swirling with black and crimson energy as they sought after their target.

Holly dodged the attacks easily, though her ship was showing signs of system failure, the damage it had sustained finally catching up to it. It was remarkable that the interceptor even flew at all, a solid testimony to fairy engineering. With smoke trailing from it, the ship spun and weaved between Opal's attacks, firing laser blasts at the ship continuously.

Opal gritted her teeth. "Just die already!" She yelled, throwing more crimson magic towards Holly. To her dismay the elf kept escaping her strikes, taunting her with her endless tenacity. After a moment, she opened a channel to the ship's hangar, still lobbing beams at the elf.

"All reserve squadrons, launch and engage!"

At once, several large blast doors on the side of Opal's battleship opened, followed by the unmistakable sound of engines. Almost immediately after the doors fully opened, dozens of daemon gunships flew out towards Holly, intent on finishing her off for good.

* * *

"D'arvit!" Holly swore as her ship shook with the impact of several cannon rounds, further ruining the already severely damaged aircraft. She couldn't keep this up, not with such a compromised craft. She had to do something. She eyed the battleship before her. It was impossible to even land a hit on it, its shields were far too strong, easily capable of blocking hundreds of missiles without even flinching. Even if she could strike it, her few remaining cannons would do very little. Holly clenched her teeth, now fleeing from several of the gunships that had left Opal's flagship's hangar.

_The hangar..._

Just then, Holly got an idea. She looked at the large warship again, seeing its hangar doors open. She could make out the forms of dozens of gunships and transports within its dark confines, but that wasn't her main focus. What interested her was how the enemy ships left the hangar. Over the space of the blast doors, there was no shield, its absence necessary in order to unload the ground forces within. Even now, she could see the forms of daemon infantry loading up into the transports, preparing to secure the cave that jutted out from the wall.

Holly grinned her crazy grin. Her idea was purely insane, even in the movies where such things happened. Such ridiculousness made it even better.

_I hope Foaly is somehow recording this! _

With a confident gaze, Holly spun her ship around, flying straight for the battleship's open hangar. Point-defense rounds exploded all around her, the blasts pounding her ship relentlessly. She paid them no heed. Opal began to blast away with her own magic, but only succeeded in shooting down the gunships that were chasing Holly. That no doubt pissed her off.

Holly was getting close, now a few hundred meters from her target. As several gunships made their way out of the ship, she fired into them, blasting them apart and clearing a path. As even more began to pour out, Holly shot them down as well.

"Excuse me, coming through!" She yelled, flying right into the open hangar door as the daemon gunships exploded around her, the concussive force pushing her ship into the vast interior whilst throwing numerous parked ships around like toys.

Holly had little time to orient herself. All she could see around her were hundreds of daemons and dozens of tanks and aircraft. They looked at her with an emotionless confusion, their artificial minds calculating the near impossible reality that an enemy ship had made it through their defenses and had subsequently breached the hangar. However, as Holly managed to piece together a rough idea of the ship' interior, the enemy units opened fire.

"Oh shit!" Holly exclaimed as dozens of high velocity tank rounds blasted by her, exploding into the walls of the hangar with dreadful force. Hundreds of infantry opened up with their firearms, sending waves of bullets and lasers into the air. With an entire army now focused on her, all she could do was run. Without a moment's hesitation, Holly threw her ship towards the rear of the hangar, which stretched along the entire length of the ship, stocked to the brim with weapons and ammunition. Bullets and lasers flew by her as she drove over the enemy forces, blasting anything that got in her way.

"Those stockpiles will do nicely." She said mischievously, seeing the obvious rows of storage containers. What made her certain that they were sensitive material was the sudden absence of enemy fire. Not a single daemon shot at her from behind, meaning that they didn't want to hit whatever was stored before her. It was clear as day. As she flew towards the storage sector of the hangar, several tanks drove out in front of her, aiming their heavy guns in her direction. Holly didn't even blink. Before they could fire, she littered them with gaping holes, leaving them smoldering as she blasted by them.

Holly grinned crazily as she reached the stockpiles, pressing her fire commands with a great satisfaction.

"I hope you have insurance." She stated cheezily, almost scoffing at how horrible the joke was.

What wasn't a joke, however, was the stream of hot laser blasts as they careened into the rows of densely packed containers. The lasers melted right through the metal boxes, burning into their contents with their searing energy. There was a moment of nothingness as Holly continued to fire into them, followed by hundreds of resounding explosions. Row by row, as Holly passed them, the ammunition stockpiles went off, tearing everything apart with flame and shrapnel. Large assortments of high yield bombs and missiles were thrown about randomly by the shock waves, sending them bouncing into the hangars before exploding brilliantly. Tanks and aircraft were obliterated, and the daemon infantry were decimated. In moments, hundreds if not thousands of enemies were destroyed.

_That worked. _Holly thought as she flew, though she was now conflicted. With walls in front of her and explosions behind, it was apparent that she had no way out. She grimaced as more and more stockpiles went up, the unstoppable chain reaction now in motion. It didn't take her long to conclude that she had to make her own exit.

"Here goes nothing!"

Holly unleashed everything she had into the wall before her, hoping to weaken it enough so that she could pass through. As her lasers tore away sections of the bulkhead, the wave of fire blasted towards her, coupled with the explosions of even more munitions. She kept firing, she had no other option.

_Come on! _She thought, still tearing though the dense barrier before her. Another explosion went off very close to her, throwing her ship to the side. As she regained control, Holly simply huffed, frustrated. She looked to her left, and all she saw was fire.

_Alright, to hell with this. _She concluded.

With a defiant expression, Holly threw her ship's engines to full power, driving her right into the damaged wall. As she did, the massive explosion reached her, its flashing destruction shining brightly. The force of the shock wave catapulted her ship forward even faster, literally punching it through the wall. With her head down for cover, Holly held on for dear life. It felt like being at epicenter of a cataclysmic earthquake, everything around her shaking at an impossible level. Pieces of metal cut through the canopy, stabbing into where her head would have been, followed by fire. The flames licked away as she felt her ship get thrown into the open cavern, her flight suit protecting her from their hot touch. After a few long seconds, Holly peaked up. She made it.

Behind her, the sound of perfect destruction reigned. Explosions ran through the length of Opal's battleship as hundreds of tons of ammunition went off, fire pouring from a hundred places whilst entire sections of the ship were torn outward. The hundreds of point-defense turrets and main batteries fell silent, though a few still fired sporadically in all directions, their tracking systems melted by the heat, leaving them blind. It buckled and listed precariously in the air, but despite the enormous damage, the ship held firm, unwilling to fall. Such strength failed immediately as the fires reached the fusion reactors, slicing into them with ease, rupturing almost every system in the process. There was a great muffled boom, and the rear of the battleship seemed to expand as the metal bent outward from the force within. After a few moments of groaning steel, the bulkheads failed, and the entire ship was torn in two.

Holly grinned as she beheld the epic destruction before her. She had never thought that Opal's battleship would be destroyed in such a fashion, and seeing it now made her feel amazing. Unfortunately, such joy was short lived. A shrill beeping erupted from her ship's console. She was going down.

Looking around the area, Holly found only one place to try and land; the outcropping on which the ancient cave resided. With a determined scream, Holly pulled hard on the controls, doing everything in her power to keep herself from falling into the teeming lava below. As she neared the cliff, it became clear that it wasn't enough. She was going to have to jump.

* * *

Opal Koboi stood motionless upon the bridge of her once invincible battleship, her face contorted with both pure rage and utter disbelief. Fires burst through the floors, smashed bulkheads speared through walls, and all the while the groan of her great ship being torn in half reverberated through the smoke filled air. She didn't even care as shrapnel passed by her, it wasn't a threat anyway. Instead, Opal just stood there, cast in thought.

Her warship, along with most of her assets, was going down. That left her with whatever she could salvage and herself. It was more than enough.

Opal Koboi began to walk to the now shattered window at the front of the control room, heedless of the growing destruction around her.

_It is a horrible disgrace to lose such a ship to that impudent elf. _She thought. _But hopefully in doing so she did herself in as well._

She reached the front, stepping out into the fire laced air.

_Regardless, I have to get to the Gate. All of this bullshit is getting on my nerves and only serves as an egregious waste of time._

The control room exploded behind her, casting a great ball of fire in her direction. Opal walked through it, her face cold and radiating death itself, uncaring. As she passed through the flames, her ship began to drop out beneath her, now completely broken in two.

_I'll just take care of the rest myself.  
_

Opal jumped from the falling ship, flying through the fire filled air with ease towards the outcropping a hundred meters away. Explosions flashed across the sky behind her, sending glowing chunks of metal whizzing past her. She landed with a crack, the stone beneath her shattering like glass. With her magic now swirling madly around her, Opal looked back, watching as the hulking form of the battleship plummeted into the sea of magma. With a loud, enormous splash, the massive ship plunged into the lava, becoming half submerged in an instant. As it sunk, explosions went off throughout it, and some of its silent turrets fired their last salvos as they malfunctioned. Opal felt no emotional connection to the ship whatsoever, and she frankly didn't care that it was gone. Nothing mattered as long as she won, and she could not see anyone left to challenge her.

Engines roared loudly as the forms of several drop ships came through the billowing smoke, landing carefully upon the solid surface of the outcropping. Only a few of her units had managed to escape from the explosion, a total of five transports. As they landed behind her, something caught Opal's eye: a hand.

With a casual gait, Opal walked up to the edge of the cliff, her heart filling with delight when she saw Holly clinging into the edge with one hand. She had lost her helmet in the crash, her face now fully visible, her hair blowing in the wind. The elf looked up and, upon seeing Koboi, glared venomously. If looks could kill, Opal would be dead for sure.

"I have to hand it to you Short." Opal said coldly. "You're the most persistent fool I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with."

Holly didn't speak. Instead she used her free hand to unholster her neutrino, bringing it to bear in a split second. "Go to hell!" She yelled defiantly, firing a series of blasts into Koboi's face. The shots didn't even touch her evil visage. With a quiet sizzle, the blue beams simply faded from existence, the pixie's magic absorbing them as though it were a plant synthesizing the sun's rays.

Opal frowned, only slightly irritated by the harmless energy blasts. "I was going to kill you quickly," she lied, "But in light of recent events, I feel that you should have a more...memorable experience."

Koboi put a foot over Holly's hand, a heartless grin on her face. Holly, despite her iron character, went wide eyed. Opal was above her, and a sea of hungry lava below. Both ways meant certain death. She had no way out at all.

Opal's gleaming eyes flooded with sick pleasure. "Say hello to Julius for me." She looked into Holly's mismatched eyes with hatred and malevolence. "Now burn!"

With an impossibly wide grin, Koboi stomped on Holly's hand, eliciting a cry of pain from the elf. Holly only held on for a moment before she was forced off, cast into a dreadful free fall towards the fires below. When the elf disappeared from view, Opal laughed, turning around to face the cave before her.

"Now, where was I?" She stated smoothly, walking towards her landed ships.

Out from the dark depths of the transports came a chorus of deep growls and metallic clanks, followed by many pairs of gleaming red eyes. Opal grinned as the creatures jumped out, feeling a sense of pride in her work. The things that stepped from the ships were perfect monsters. They had similar faces to those of the regular daemons, though they were thrice as dreadful. Razor sharp teeth filled their maws, ones that made a shark look like a toothless infant. A set of horns jutted from their thick skulls, and numerous sharp spines stuck from their muscular backs, giving them a hellish appearance. At over seven feet tall, they were covered with bulging muscles, and wore thick plates of advanced armor, nothing like the regulars had. They each held an assortment of deadly armaments, ranging from missile launchers and heavy machine guns to anti-material rifles and miniguns. Apart from their firearms, each also had a perfectly formed sword, the curved blades the purest of blacks. Opal had only just started making them when her facility was destroyed, leaving her with very few. However, she was sure that they would come in handy. She called them _Berserkers. _She felt that they were far more deserving of such a title as opposed to the silly spirits that she had tried to use in the past. These Berserkers were Opal's elite soldiers, and now a hundred stood at the ready.

Opal's enjoyment in them was quickly smothered by the magical pull of the Gate. It called to her. She could feel the infinite sea of power beckoning her to partake in its lusts, to seize limitless evil.

"Guard the entrance." Koboi commanded smoothly. "Kill anything that gets near."

The Berserkers didn't make a sound as they quickly spread out into a solid line of muscle and steel, cutting off the way into the next tunnel. By the time they formed the line, Opal was already in the cave, her bloody eyes shining amidst the gloom with almost unbearable anticipation.

_It will not be long now. _She thought. _My godhood awaits!_

* * *

Holly felt the hot air as it rushed by her. She was falling, though in the moment it almost felt like being frozen in a perpetual state of near-death. She could feel the searing lava below as she neared it, its taunting hisses and bubbles rising to meet her, mocking her very existence. It was the worst feeling, waiting to die a horrid death, yet the seemingly distorted time was also a welcome respite, a moment of calm before the end. It was the beauty before death, the moment where everything seemed different, and the world held a quiet breath. Holly didn't look down, she knew what was there. Her eyes instead focused on the air above, on the patterned cavern walls and the fiery embers of ruined machines. They say that when in the face of death one sees their life flash before their eyes, but for Holly there was nothing. It's absence was warming in a way, maybe she wasn't meant to die yet, maybe her life still had another chapter to be read, her story not yet over.

Holly let out a calming breath, relaxing as the world burned around her. Such musings were but air anyway, in the end they were formless and empty. All that Holly could do was watch as the ceiling got farther and farther away, and feel the warm wind blowing through her hair. She was getting close now, the heat rising sharply as the fiery glow intensified. She felt horrible that Opal could very well win, but she also knew that Artemis and the others were, just maybe, still alive. As long as they were, there was hope. Even without her, she knew they would triumph, such was her faith in them. It hurt to accept reality, but her time was over. She closed her eyes, unafraid as she waited for the inevitable, welcoming it without any regrets.

The heat continued to rise to almost unbearable levels, the glare of the glowing hot magma shining in her peripherals. It was only seconds away. She prepared herself as she was about to collide, awaiting the dreadful agony of molten rock against her flesh. Her expectations were followed by absolutely nothing. At the moment when she was certain she would land in the lava, her free fall came to a sudden halt. She was floating in mid air. The relentless heat was gone, replaced by a cool blue glow. Holly opened her eyes with both confusion and relief.

"Nice of you to drop by." Said Artemis, who was standing over her. His face looked worried, but it was also graced by a relieved smile.

Despite being immensely perplexed, Holly grinned, amazed by what had happened. "You have no idea how overused that line is."

"Oh I do, it just felt appropriate." The genius said, helping Holly up.

They were encapsulated within an orb of cool blue magic, the energy pouring from the two warlocks who, despite being only a foot from a sea of lava, seemed completely at ease. Everyone that had been in the shuttle was present, making the weight on Holly's chest fall off immediately. Butler and Juliet were checking their weapons, Mulch standing not too far away as he ate whatever he fished out of his beard. Despite overwhelming opposition, they had survived.

Holly looked to Quan quizzically. The old warlock simply shrugged.

"Elementary magic." He stated. "When our ship went down, we cast a defensive bubble around ourselves. When the shuttle landed in the magma and virtually melted in moments, we remained unscathed. Since then, we were forced to lay low. Opal doesn't know that we, apart from you, are here. Had she sensed us, she would have definitely made sure we were dead, and in our position we would have been incapable of defending ourselves sufficiently." Quan paused, glancing to the hulking form of Opal's battleship as it sunk in the lava. "However, now that her forces have been virtually crippled, we can focus on her. She has no doubt entered the inner sanctum, and is closing in on the Gate as we speak. Though the process of activating it will take a while, if she even begins the ritual she will be elevated to a level near to that of a god."

"Then what are we waiting for." Butler's deep voice rumbled. The bodyguard stood by Artemis, his large Sig Sauer in hand.

"Now that we're all here, nothing at all." Quan responded, motioning with his right hand. Immediately, the magical orb began to rise into he air, leaving the bubbling magma behind. No one made a sound as they floated towards the fire lit outcropping, which from their perspective seemed devoid of activity. There was no noise from the plateau whilst they neared it from below, though that was no reason for any of them to be at ease. Silence, if anything, was a bad omen.

It took only a few seconds to travel the several hundred meter distance. The magical orb soundlessly crested the plateau, brushing a cloud of dust into the air, obscuring them. It landed softly upon the cracked stone, fizzling out after a few moments, leaving the group within the fading cloud of dust. A sudden gust of hot air quickly dispersed the swirling particles, leaving everything clear to see. They were a few dozen meters away from a cluster of landed transports, their hulking forms silent and cold.

Mulch gaped. "Uh, guys, we've got company."

Eighty meters away, lined up cross the sanctum's elaborate entrance, were a hundred massive daemons. The Berserkers saw them in an instant, their feral red eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

Butler swept in front of Artemis, his weapon aimed. Holly and Juliet did the same, whilst Mulch hid behind them. Quan and Nº1 took point, magic swirling at their fingertips.

The Berserkers didn't waste a second. With guttural growls, the beasts raised their wide array of weaponry, aiming directly at the group before them.

"Stay behind us!" Quan yelled, bringing up his hands.

With a dreadful cacophony, the Berserkers opened fire, sending thousands of high caliber rounds and dozens of missiles flying forward. The two warlocks threw a wave of magic into the air, forming a solid wall in between them and the deadly storm of fire. The two forces clashed with a resounding explosion, the sound of bullets and missiles hammering against the barrier echoing madly through the air. The Berserkers continued their barrage, seeking to wear the shield down with their colossal firepower.

Under the stress of the bombardment, Quan called to those behind him. "We need to get in closer!"

"And how do you suggest we do that!?" Holly yelled above the deafening explosions.

Mulch poked his head out from behind Butler's massive frame. He looked at the nearest transport, a grin working its way across his terrified features.

"Hey, can you still teleport?" The dwarf asked loudly.

Quan frowned. "With all of the magic in the air, I can only afford to do so for a diminutive distance, otherwise I risk scrambling your limbs like a Picasso."

The unoccupied daemon dropship was only twenty meters away, its bow facing the Berserkers.

"That's all need to get to that ship." Mulch replied. "Though I could use some help."

Butler looked up from shielding Artemis. He was utterly useless sitting within the warlock's shield. If anything, protecting his charge meant eliminating the hostiles, not standing around whilst Quan and Nº1 blocked their attacks. The bodyguard, along with Juliet, were quick to jump on the chance.

"We'll back you up." Butler said deeply, his sister nodding beside him. He turned to Artemis. "Stay with Holly. It's the safest place in here."

The boy raised a brow. "You don't say."

Quan nodded, his face sweating from exertion as he and No1 held back the seemingly endless assault. He motioned to Mulch and the Butlers, who were now standing in a tight group.

"Alright, here it goes!"

There was a blinding flash as the old warlock channeled the spell from his free hand, sending it into the trio. The magic surrounded them before winking out of existence, taking them with it. After a few seconds, Quan grinned with satisfaction.

"They made it."

* * *

The darkness of the interior of the transport was obliterated by a bright flash of blue light, which formed into a trio of beings in the control room. After a fleeting moment, the light disappeared, leaving them alone in the gloom.

"Okay Mulch, get to it." Juliet said, looking out the front window towards the Berserkers. By now they had ceased their assault, and were beginning to spread out, hoping to outflank the magical barrier.

"Got it!" The dwarf declared mischievously, jumping into the rather large pilot's sat. "Once this thing starts moving, it would be best to get to the back. Once we break through, you two can get out the back and do what you do best."

Butler simply nodded, a look of supreme determination upon his face.

Mulch grinned as he looked over the controls. It took him only a moment to find the ship's emergency booster activation module. He didn't want to take the time to start the ship up completely, that would tip the enemy off. What Mulch needed was surprise.

"Hold on you two!" He yelled, punching the button before sprinting to the back of the ship. As he and the others held onto whatever they could, the transport shook with sudden power, a deep roar exploding from its emergency afterburners as they came online in a fraction of a second. In no time, the large ship was flying forward, its belly scrapping along the hard stone.

From outside it appeared as though the transport had been possessed by an evil spirit. It flew forward with almost no warning, its massive boosters screaming with power as they burned brightly. The Berserkers had little time to react. Without hesitation, the small army of monsters turned their weapons on the charging ship, lighting it up with a wall of fire. The transport, to its credit, held firm, even as its entire control room was incinerated. But despite its ferocity, the daemons' barrage could only last for two seconds, as that was the amount of time it took for the ship to reach them. With a multitude of sickening crunches and metallic bangs, the transport slammed into the enemy force, flattening at least half of them before colliding with the stone wall. With a loud crash, the ship came to a halt, leaving nothing but clouds of smoke and dust in the air and repulsive smears on the ground.

Inside, Butler and Juliet picked themselves off of the floor, shaking away their disorientation. Mulch was literally stuck to the wall.

"That hurt." The dwarf's muffled speech stated flatly. There was a wet suction sound as he peeled away from the wall, leaving him spread eagle on the floor. He was perfectly alright, though his bruised face was quite unamused. "I'm sitting this one out guys, you can take care of the rest of those over sized meat heads."

Butler racked the slide of his gun, wearing his serious face. "Gladly."

As Mulch pried himself from the wall, the two humans made their move. With Juliet on his right, Butler walked to the rear door, which was crumpled and leaking in smoke. Without a hint of effort, the bodyguard kicked it open, slamming it onto the stone surface outside. Smoke and dust filled the air, though it was quickly dissipating, the forms of the large beasts becoming visible amidst the gloom. From what he could tell, the Berserkers had been disorganized by the transport, their tight formation shattered completely, leaving them scattered. They were in the perfect state to be attacked. Stepping out of the ship, the two humans readied their weapons, determined to defeat the fifty or so Berserkers before them.

* * *

The others watched as the hijacked transport hammered into the daemon lines, instantly stopping all of their attempts to overcome Quan's defensive spell. Though it was one of the most reckless courses of action possible, it had worked perfectly, disrupting the defending monsters and leaving them vulnerable. From his position behind Quan and Nº1, Artemis watched on with worry. He knew that such concern was probably unnecessary given Butler and Juliet's capabilities. Nonetheless, his love for them overrode logic.

Quan and Nº1 let the shield drop, though their guard was still very much raised.

"That worked far better than expected." Nº1 stated, amazed by the drama unfolding before him.

"Indeed." Quan agreed. "But now they are up against the rest of them in close combat. We must assist them."

"My thoughts exactly." Holly added, her neutrino in hand. She looked to Artemis. "Just sit back and watch, we'll have them beat in no time."

Artemis managed a slight smile. "Oh I have no doubts about that."

"Just stay behind on of the ships until we're done." She added, sounding genuinely worried for him.

_My god, it's like being babied by my mother. Am I that useless in combat situations? _He thought. The answer was probably yes.

A series of gunshots echoed from the smoke shrouded area ahead, followed by explosions.

"That must be them." Nº1 stated.

Holly narrowed her eyes. "Let's go!"

* * *

Butler glared fiercely as his weapon lit up the gloom, casting flashes of light upon the clearing smoke. As a large shell casing flew from the high powered handgun, a Berserker fell backwards, a massive hole in its face. That was one, though dozens remained. Around him, numerous daemons raised their weapons, training them on the massive target that stood before them. Butler wouldn't give them the chance.

The large bodyguard charged into the nearest Berserker as it fired its heavy machine gun, smashing the weapon's barrel away from him before it could expel any bullets. The fifty caliber rounds spat out of the weapon as it changed direction, cutting through three of the creatures like paper. The Berserker growled, bringing down a massive clawed hand upon the human that had tackled it. Butler dodged the strike and, while doing so, stuck his Sig Sauer into the roaring Berserker's mouth. A loud bang later, the monster fell lifelessly. He had already found out that their body armor could block almost anything, leaving head shots as the only possible strike. Of course, head shots were quite easy on such large creatures, and Butler's skill was already top notch.

As he fired into another enemy, Butler heard fighting to his right and turned in time to see Juliet kicking a daemon in the head, which was quite a feat given that it was over seven feet tall. The powerful blow caused it to drop its weapon whilst sending half of its large teeth flying out of its maw, their sharp forms glinting as they spun through the air. But despite the blow, the Berserker was only slightly phased. With a roar it drew its sword, the large black blade glinting against the firelight. With blood red eyes gleaming, it swung the sword with astounding speed, slicing the solid stone like butter where Juliet had been standing. She quickly jumped over the strike, landing lightly on the ground.

As Juliet evaded the enraged monster, several more Berserkers charged through the smoke, intent on crushing her. Butler saw them and, without a moment's hesitation, grabbed the discarded machine gun at his feet. With stern composure, he unloaded on the daemons, killing half of them and forcing the other two to take cover. Butler did the same as they returned fire, ducking quickly as a missile flew over his head. He threw himself behind the dismembered wing of the crashed transport, though large holes were punched through it by the enemy weapons as they hammered his position. He grunted with frustration as several bullets punctured the metal only an inch from his head. He had never fought such creatures before, and from what he'd seen so far, they were each very formidable warriors.

A few dozen meters away, Juliet dodged under the powerful sword, its passage causing the air to shriek hauntingly. The Berserkers were tough and highly adept in combat, though Juliet was still faster. She could see Butler's position getting pounded by fire from the corner of her eye. She needed to finish this daemon off and assist her brother.

Whilst she was still ducking below the strike, Juliet noticed a cluster of HE grenades attached to the Berserkers armor.

_How convenient. _She though as she moved towards them, moving faster than the daemon could recover.

With a grin, Juliet pulled the pins from the grenades, jumping away from the Berserker as quickly as she could. Before it could react the explosives went off, obscuring the creature in a ball of fire. Apart from an assortment of limbs, the daemon's sword twirled out of the destruction, landing blade down a few inches from Juliet's feet. The blade sunk into the ground effortlessly, almost up to the hilt. Juliet eyed the sword. Even though she was a master at martial arts, such attacks had little effect upon the Berserkers. If she was to beat them, she needed a more powerful weapon. The impossibly sharp sword was a logical choice.

Juliet grabbed the sword with both hands and, with a grunt, tried to pull it up. To her surprise, the weapon rose immediately, not at all stuck in the ground. What perplexed her more was its weight. Despite being as tall as she was, the jet black sword was lighter than a carbon steel katana, making it ridiculously easy to use. Whatever it was made of, it allowed for supreme strength and edge retention as well as impossible lightness. The fact that its balance was perfect was icing on the cake.

With a satisfied grin, Juliet set her gaze upon the ignorant Berserkers as they bombarded Butler's position. Her brother had managed to take down several more of the enemy, but a dozen had joined in as well. She was very lucky that the smoke still nearly enveloped her area, otherwise she would have been bringing a sword to a gun fight. This, however, was what she planned on doing anyway, though its success was hinged on surprise. With the gloom and confusion still in the air, she had a perfect opportunity. She seized it without pause.

With the deceiving sword in her right hand, Juliet sprinted through the smog, reaching the ignorant Berserkers in seconds. There were thirteen of them in all, and even though they sensed her approach, they were far too slow to take immediate action. With a loud cry, Juliet dashed by the first three daemons, slashing each of them through the midsection where there was a junction in their armor. The blade didn't even slow as it halved the massive creatures, and only the slightest trace of blood clung to its black surface, its speed and grace keeping it almost spotless. As the three deceased creatures dropped, the others brought their weapons around, seeking to cut their enemy apart before she could get close. It almost worked, but came a second too late.

Several loud bangs erupted from the ruined wing a few dozen meters away, sending several of the Berserkers to the ground. With Butler laying down a steady assault and Juliet mere feet away, the daemons were caught on two fronts, a sandwich of death.

The Berserker nearest to Juliet wielded a minigun, the multi-barreled weapon whirring as it spat out dozens of bullets a second. Juliet leaped over its field of fire just a millisecond before it unleashed its deadly payload, doing a back flip as she flew over the Berserker. It only took a quick movement of her arm to lob its head clean off, decapitating it in mid air.

With the headless creature now behind her, Juliet hit the ground softly, the black blade held expertly in her hands. A loud roar sounded beside her, followed by another one of the large swords, wielded by a massive Berserker that stood out from the rest, this one standing at ten feet tall. Juliet dodged to the side, parrying another blow as the daemon sent a withering series of slashes and stabs towards her, using its sword like a blademaster. Juliet grinned as she blocked and evaded, impressed by its skill. Her smile faded quickly as the monster's blade slashed across her chest, just barely cutting her.

_Damn, these guys are pretty good. _She thought as she jumped back, putting several meters in between them.

The monstrous Berserker was joined by two more, forming a ring around her. Juliet gripped the large sword with both hands, her previously excited visage now serious and determined in the face of the skilled opponents. The daemons charged at the same time, each swinging their weapons at different levels, seeking to leave their enemy no place to dodge. Juliet grunted as she parried one of the blows whilst simultaneously jumping above another. The third swept over her nose by a hair's breadth, sending a loud whoosh of air past her. With her body now perpendicular to the Berserkers, Juliet spun around, hooking her right foot onto the large blunt habaki of one of the passing blades, using its momentum to fly above the daemons. As she spun through the air, she sent her blade arcing under her towards one of the attackers. It landed in the center of creature's head, slicing it vertically in half down to its chest. The dead Berserker, still in mid swing, spun out of control, slashing another one across the neck, killing it instantly.

Juliet landed just as the two daemons hit the hard ground, though the third and largest one was on top of her the moment she did so. With murderous eyes, the Berserker cut vertically towards the human, seeking to slice her clean in half. Juliet rolled out of the way just in time, standing up whilst she moved. The daemon's sword slammed into the stone surface, burying itself up to the hilt with a loud crash, sending rock fragments and dust flying into the air. Juliet was already moving as this happened. With her sword raised, she ran straight at the Berserker, running up the back of its buried blade with amazing agility. As she ran up the weapon, the daemon pulled it out of the earth, swinging it up with enormous force, launching Juliet high into the air. She hadn't predicted this, but it was easy enough to work with.

_Time to try something new._

With the enemy twenty feet below her, she let herself fall towards it head first, her sword aimed straight down. The Berserker simply eyed her with its glinting crimson orbs, its blade held readily, waiting for her to come into range. Juliet obliged, dropping like a graceful rock onto the daemon. With a terrifying roar, the monster swung powerfully, the upward slash virtually impossible for Juliet to dodge.

_This better work! _She thought in slow motion, the gleaming black blade flying towards her.

With a vigorous cry, Juliet moved her weapon into the path of the approaching blade. The two swords clashed sharply, the daemon's edge meeting the flat of hers. She could feel the intense vibrations of the impact running up her arms like tremors, but her focus was on the deadly swordplay, her concentration unshakable. With Juliet above her own blade, the direct block literally stopped her in mid air, a truly awe inspiring move. The balancing act lasted for only a brittle second, shattered by another scraping of metal. The daemon pushed the human off with its blade, sending a razor clawed hand flying towards its target whilst it brought its sword back for another strike. Juliet let the force of her foe's push spin her in the air. As she twirled, she fell towards the monster's deadly hand, and could see its dreadful eyes fixed upon her own. With a resolute expression, Juliet brought her blade down upon it. The Berserker had made a critical error in leaving its guard down for a split second, and was about to pay the price. Without even blinking, Juliet Butler cut both of the daemon's extended arms off then, using her slash's directional energy, spun in a full circle, sending a second and twice as powerful strike bearing down on the Berserker. With a metallic crash and rending of flesh, her attack sliced it apart, sending it down instantly. Without a sound she landed on top of its corpse, her eyes already searching for more hostiles.

Butler grinned proudly a few feet away, his weapon smoking profusely. All of their current attackers were dead, though judging by their count, at least twenty-five remained. The two Butlers nodded to each other, prepared to take on the rest.

There was a massive explosion within the lava pit as a section of the sinking battleship detonated, sending a powerful gust of wind through the cavern. The gust swirled the smoke filled air around the two humans, like a miniature cyclone. After a mere moment, the smoke was cast away into the heights of the cave, leaving the expanse before them perfectly visible. Both Butler and Juliet felt the pangs of uncertainty as they beheld the rest of the Berserkers standing twenty meters away, their weapons aimed. With the crashed transport a few dozen yards behind them, they had virtually no cover, and could hardly take the twenty-five or so daemons head on. They were horrendously outgunned.

"Let's go." Butler stated confidently.

"Right behind you." Juliet replied, black blade ready.

The two humans charged towards the enemy line. The Berserkers seemed surprised that their enemy was charging them head on, a move that was no doubt a death sentence given the distance between them. With feral eyes, the daemons prepared to fire, completely focused on the reckless duo. The Butlers knew that their fates were uncertain, but they also knew that they had little choice. It was either attack or simply stand there and die.

The whirr of rotating barrels and the metallic clinks of ammunition belts filled the air as the enemy began their assault. With a resounded cacophony, the Berserkers opened fire, sending wave after wave of death towards the two humans.

There was a great flash of light to the side of the two groups, followed by a flowing stream of blue energy. The magic placed itself between the Butlers and the enemy fire just as it neared them, blocking it effortlessly. Butler and Juliet stopped before the shield, surprised and greatly relieved as the enemy bullets pinged off of the magical barrier.

The Berserkers turned their heads to find the source of the vexation, and as they did a flurry of neutrino blasts hammered into their positions. Most of the shots simply fizzled out upon striking their armor, but some of them landed in exposed areas, like the head or neck. In less than a second, five of the Berserkers were down and the rest were diving for cover.

From the other side of the outcropping came Holly, Quan and Nº1, each throwing their own attacks into the Berserkers. As Holly fired her neutrino at full power, the two warlocks cast glowing beams of energy. When the magical strikes collided with the daemons, they simply fell over, lifeless. Upon closer inspection, one would see a faint crimson form fly from the beasts as they were hit by the magical attacks. Their magic was forcibly cutting the link between the daemon's artificial souls and their physical forms, thus rendering them lifeless.

The Berserkers responded with their own attacks, now concentrating upon both fronts, though their numbers were dropping rapidly. With the enemy's previous bombardment all but ruined, Butler and Juliet dashed into their lines, engaging them at close range. They were quickly joined by the others, now pushing the daemons towards the cave entrance, which the still defended resolutely.

"Nice of you to join us!" Butler yelled above his roaring gun, his speech directed towards Holly.

"We couldn't let you have all the fun now could we?" Holly said loudly, dodging a swing from a Berserker before shooting it thirty times in less than a second.

"I assume Artemis is safe?" The bodyguard asked, dropping his empty machine gun and replacing it with one of the numerous discarded weapons that littered the ground.

"I made him hide." Holly replied. "He didn't seem all that thrilled, but what should he expect? He's not the best in combat situations."

Butler grinned. "He sure isn't."

The massive human ducked under a sweeping punch from a disarmed Berserker, ramming the butt of his gun into the creature's gut. The beast stumbled back, but was unaffected. With a roar it charged at Butler again, this time wielding an empty rifle like a club. The bodyguard brought his own to bear, but before he could fire, the agile form of his sister flew past the daemon. The monster stood for a second before it realized what had happened, then fell apart into several perfectly diced pieces.

Juliet kicked another close Berserker in the leg, throwing it off balance as it tried to aim its gun. She followed up with a slash, then a powerful roundhouse kick, sending the fatally wounded daemon tumbling to the ground. With a cocky grin, Juliet looked to Butler.

"Getting tired gramps?" She said jokingly.

Butler aimed his weapon, his face dead serious. "You should never let you guard down."

He fired over Juliet's head, killing a Berserker that was about to fire at her. Juliet's bravado faded completely when she noticed.

Butler grinned slightly at her. "Let's not make that mistake again alright?"

Juliet nodded, thoroughly embarrassed. Without any more words, the two Butlers went to work, functioning together like a well oiled machine.

A few dozen meters away, Quan and Nº1 lashed out with their magic, disrupting the very bonds that allowed for the daemons to function, sending them toppling over like rag dolls. They had much more powerful spells at their disposal, but with the confrontation with Opal still looming ahead, they needed to save as much magic as they could.

With the combined force of all five of them, the Berserkers were wiped out in less than a minute. By the time they were finished, the stone outcropping was littered with shell casings and burn marks, as well as the bodies of a hundred Berserkers. It was a total mess, though it was one that meant victory.

"That's all of them." Quan stated, looking around the area with a certain amount of distaste. "Where's Mulch?"

Juliet motioned to the crashed transport. "He's fine, though I'm pretty sure he'll be sitting this one out."

Butler nodded in agreement. He then looked over to the other transports. "Artemis!" He called. "You can come out now!"

There was the crash as someone tripped over a piece of debris, followed by a disheveled but confident looking Artemis Fowl. He walked as casually as he could up to his friends, but was greatly impeded by the numerous bodies and blast holes. Despite the many obstacles, however, Artemis had an air of supremacy, his eyes set immovably upon the dark cave before him. Opal had entered the passageway only ten minutes ago, but to him it might as well have been a year. Koboi was on the doorstep of the greatest power in the world, holding the very keys to the door. They needed to stop her before it was too late. He didn't so much a slow down when he reached his friends, and as he walked past them, he spoke with iron resolve.

"Let's finish this."

Artemis continued onward, walking strong conviction into the looming cave, its darkness reaching out to envelop him like a cloak of shadow. The others followed with equal resolve as he entered the inner sanctum, completely unafraid. He knew not what awaited him within the depths of the oppressive gloom, but he was determined that, no matter what happened, he would stop Opal Koboi once and for all.


	19. Inferno

**Inner Sanctum**

There was darkness. Stale air snaked through the gloomy tunnel, its passage creating an ominous moan that reverberated endlessly throughout the darkness, a sound of hopeless agony. The walls were perfectly smooth, the ubiquitous markings running along them in their elusive pattern, leaving not a single spot untouched. Twisting around like an agitated serpent, the marked tunnel ran into the distorted blackness, the loathsome howl of wind ushering all that walked upon it towards a dreadful secret.

Through the tangible tenebrosity came a crimson glow, one that seemed to amalgamate with the darkness instead of challenging it, as though they were kin. The bloody light was embodied in the two nefarious eyes of Opal Koboi as she walked through the tunnel, savoring the intricate markings all around her, which she alone understood. Her face was brimming with pleasure and enormous anticipation, her visage cast into a seemingly perpetual smile that stretched with calculative madness.

_It won't be long now._

Her footfalls echoed with the crying wind as she stalked towards an opening at the far end of the twisting tunnel. Red light poured from it, along with the invisible call of the Gate, pulling on her mind like a hand tugging a garment. It made Opal laugh openly.

_Finally, after all these years._

Opal Koboi stepped out into the next room, her eyes widening as they beheld the expanse before her. The blood tinted chamber was not all that large, about a few hundred meters in diameter, its vaulting roof rising into darkness. It's size, however, was by no means a factor. The stone chamber was covered with the same glyphs and patterns, but unlike the previous places, these ones were alive. The markings snaked and crept along the walls like endless centipedes, their own movements forming another pattern within the one already present, followed by endless more. Six massive pillars dominated the chamber, arranged in a circle around the room, their perfectly crafted forms displaying images of horrid monsters and dreadful wars, though they were nothing that Opal had ever seen or heard of, mysterious vestiges of a time long forgotten, or maybe a time yet to come. Koboi's eyes immediately fixed upon the center of the chamber. Within the circle formed by the pillars were a series of rings cut into the stone floor. Within these rings were thousands upon thousands of glyphs and lines, a myriad of inner circles and designs that seemed to never end. It was by far the most complex magical circle Opal had ever seen.

In the center of the massive spell circle was a heavily ordained stone platform, about three feet high, with a flat top. Its surface had its own ritual circle upon it, an exact replica of the larger one, though condensed to an impossibly small scale. It was the exact length and width of the manuscripts, and as Opal got closer, the very markings that formed the rings seemed to reach out, struggling against their bonds, craving to be set free.

Koboi strolled to the edge of the circles, her face contorted with evil.

"The Gate." She said with immoral glee. "Not a soul has laid eyes upon it for over a million years." Her face twisted even more. "And it is I who will open it!"

She reached into her robes, gently pulling out the ancient scroll case. The old artifact was on fire with dark magic, its glyphs gleaming crimson as they too moved with a madness of their own. As she brought it out, every marked surface quickened its crawling pace, the air filling with a sense of dreadful excitement. The etchings of the magic circle before her began to rotate, eliciting a horrifying groan from an unseen place, a hellish cry that made the very room shake. Opal smiled endlessly, her mind drunk with desire as she saw the air fill with swirling magic and glinting energy, coupling with the maddening cacophony to form a mephistophelian spectacle.

Opal watched with sick delight, thrilled by what she saw. It was perfect, so very perfect. She had waited for so long for such victory, to become invincible, to become a god. Now, the workings of the dark magic that she sold herself to writhed before her, the entire chamber alive with it, dancing to the song of death itself. She could feel it within the very essence of her being, every fiber of her soul, as the Gate beckoned to her, begging to be released. She was happy to oblige.

"It ends now." Opal growled devilishly, taking a step onto the magical rings. The moment her foot contacted the writhing surface, her mind bulged with awe and delight. She could see the endless seas of power, she could feel them. It was so monstrous that it boggled her intellect. It was like she was standing on the very edge of a bottomless precipice that was endlessly alight with fire; she could see into infinity.

"W-wonderful!" Koboi managed to say, her voice impeded by the wonderful feelings that racked her mind and body. She had never felt so much control, so much darkness, so much power. It was something that would make even the most sober of minds blind drunk in an instant. It was pure ecstasy.

With a surge of determination, Opal walked onto the rings, her red eyes ever fixed upon the pedestal before her, the manuscripts crackling in her hand with barely restrained energy. As the chorus of darkness swirled around her, only one thought came to her mind.

_I win!_

**Inner Sanctum – Moments Before**

Tremors shook the snaking tunnel as the six figures sprinted through it, the sound of their footfalls completely drowned out by the chaos that echoed powerfully down the passageway. The walls around them glowed a sickly red as the glyphs moved about, crawling above them like spiders stalking their prey. The six men and women didn't pay attention to the magical entropy around them. They were far more focused on what it meant.

"She's within the circle!" Quan yelled above the horrid cacophony. "We must hurry!"

Everyone doubled their efforts, not bothering to speak when words meant far less than actions.

Artemis was doing his best to keep pace with the others, though he was already getting tired. _Not now! _He thought. Artemis gritted his teeth, inwardly demanding himself to try harder. To his own surprise, he managed to push onward, willing his less than athletic body to hold up, just this once.

As they ran down the horrifying tunnel, even greater tremors roared, and the creeping symbols all around them gained momentum, as though the hellish display was rising towards a great climax. With Opal about to access the power she sought after, nobody doubted that such was the case.

Another howl of hot wind blasted by them.

"Artemis!" Quan called, running directly beside the boy.

Artemis looked to the warlock quizzically. He didn't speak. He was almost out of breath as it was.

Quan reached into his pocket. He carefully pulled out the jagged form of the ancient dagger, promptly handing it to Artemis.

Artemis raised a brow in surprise. "W..what?" He uttered, his speech interrupted by heaving breaths.

"Take it." Quan demanded, his voice only just audible amidst the monstrous noise.

Artemis gave him an inquisitive expression.

Quan's face became even more serious. "Nº1 and I will be entirely caught up in holding Opal at bay. We cannot wield the dagger, not when we use so much magic near the Gate. It would destroy us." He took several deep breaths as he ran. "And unlike everyone else here, you are the least suspecting in terms of a direct move."

Artemis' visage grew intense, immediately understanding what Quan meant. In every conflict, unless it was absolutely necessary to do otherwise, Artemis was one to stand on the sidelines. He was a tactician, not a soldier, a brilliant mind rather than a powerful fighter. He pulled the strings and challenged the odds, manipulating the players in the field, and even when he was required to physically take action, his performance was less than impressive. With Opal expecting everyone but him to boldly challenge her in battle, he held a certain level of surprise, especially with the truth that she had no idea that the dagger existed. Without the counteracting artifact in the picture, Koboi had no reason to think that Artemis was a capable threat in combat. She would thus focus on those who posed one, quite possibly intending to save him for last. Regardless, it meant that while everyone drew her attention, Artemis could deliver the real blow. It was a crazy plan, but it made sense, and made Artemis feel a great amount of anticipation. In the end, it was he who would try to finish her. He just hoped he would succeed.

With a fiery determination in his eyes, Artemis took the dagger, and as he did he felt the weight of destiny fall upon him. Everything was hinged upon his actions. If he failed, all would be lost.

_How theatrical. _Artemis mused as he ran, though any attempt to place the situation under the lens of logic and objectivity failed instantly. He could feel nothing but emotion, subjective thoughts, and burning determination. There was no room for indifference or distancing of himself from the moment, the gravity of it making it the most personal and affecting thing in the world. With a courageous glare focused upon the quickly nearing opening, Artemis tossed composure and restraint into the wind. He had to give his all, he could hold nothing back. For what felt like the first time in his life, he felt ready to fight, to take part in the ruthless game of life and death. Opal was his opponent, and though she seemed to hold all the cards, he still had one up his sleeve.

_I will finish this. _He thought with resolve. _I will stop Opal, even if it kills me!_

Around him, his friends held the same expressions. They all knew what had to be done, and equally what had to be given. They were prepared for sacrifice, though they hoped that such would not be necessary. But regardless of the costs, they were fighting to save the entire world. What was a life when weighed against the lives of billions? It was a morbid thought, and Artemis quickly pushed it from his mind. He was determined that everyone would survive.

An instantly recognizable laugh boomed from the expanse ahead, followed by the earth's terrifying groan that was like a thousand simultaneous screams of agony. The writhing glyphs pulsed excitedly, casting even brighter crimson light upon them. As the howling wind and groaning cries of some unknown force echoed through the death soaked air, Artemis and the others pushed forward, the well lit cavern now only a few paces away.

**Inner Sanctum – The Gate**

_It is mine! At last, I win!_

Opal stood before the ancient pedestal, grinning madly. She held the scroll case over the stone platform, her eyes sucking in the malignant beauty that danced all around her. It was everything she imagined it would be and more, making her demonic eyes gleam with delight.

"Time to begin." She said through a razor toothed grin.

In one fluid movement, Opal cast her own magic, opening the scroll case and letting its contents fall into the magic thick air. The ages old manuscripts didn't fall in any natural fashion. They instantly began to float, their words lighting up as the magic around it sensed their presence. Below, upon the stone pedestal, the smaller ritual circle lit up with red light. The crimson energy shot from the surface, connecting with the archaic paper aligned above it. The manuscript's glyphs rearranged themselves to form another, even more complex circle, combining with the other to form one whole picture. With a loud crack, a blast of energy erupted from the artifact, throwing gale force winds about the cavern. The wind soon subsided, but in its place rose another spectacle. All around the room, the markings on the walls ceased their movements, as though they had just heard something that made them pause. After a fleeting moment, the strings of glyphs flashed across the stone surfaces, running along towards the center of the room, where the spell circle was actively gleaming.

"Yes!" Opal roared.

The symbols pooled onto the floor by the circle, and began to from their own rings, each one completely different from the other. Endless chains of the mysterious characters weaved together with awe inspiring efficiency, moving at a rate far faster than the eye could track. Soon, the entire room was filled with writhing magic circles, each linked together to form a spell of colossal proportions. To any being that knew magic enough to grasp its workings, the arcane equations and transmutations that spanned the chamber would be the most awe and terror inspiring sight possible. It was a diabolic masterpiece.

Opal Koboi waited until everything was in place. Once she was sure that the spells were ready, she began to chant. She spoke in an dialect that not even the People had ever heard, each word filled with power and dread. As she recited the ritual chant, the manuscripts floated a few feet into the air, snakes of energy flying from them towards the spell circles all around.

_Yes! Lend your power to me! Make me a god! _Opal thought fiercely as she chanted, her shining eyes fixed upon the floating manuscripts above.

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that"_. _A wise voice stated behind her.

As the disembodied speaker told her this, several loud bangs filled the air, followed by a series of sizzling cracks as three bullets smashed into the floating manuscripts. The rounds didn't do a thing, but it startled Koboi all the same.

Opal immediately froze with surprise, the words for her chant falling silent as she gritted her teeth with utter rage. She could now feel a presence behind her, and from what she'd witnessed so far, it was the last thing she wanted to see.

Turning around, Opal beheld five beings. At the front of them, Quan and Nº1 stood at the ready, blue magic alight upon their fingertips. Behind the two warlocks, with weapons aimed, were Butler, Juliet and Holly. All of them bore expressions of iron determination, not a drop of fear in their eyes.

"You!" She glared.

Quan looked sternly into Opal's horrid eyes as she glared at them. "You're evil ends here, Koboi."

The chamber shook as Opal's eyes flared with hatred. "So you survived." She growled, her withering gaze falling upon Holly, who simply glared back.

"It may seem," Quan stated, "That the powers that be do not wish for you to succeed."

The nefarious pixie's eyes flashed to the old warlock, the depths of hell shining through them.

"The powers that be?" She asked dangerously. The tremors in the room increased. She grinned slightly. "I am that powers that be!"

With a malevolent grin she cast her magic into the air, forming a writhing sea of deadly tendrils behind her. The two warlocks readied their own, though waited for her to attack directly.

"So." Opal stated, her voice suddenly less agitated. "All of the vermin have gathered together." She looked over them, noting with silent displeasure that Artemis wasn't amongst them. Was it possible that he hadn't accompanied them? Maybe he was calling the shots from a distance away, safe from a situation that would easily end him in a heartbeat. With all of the chaos around her, she could not sense even the forms of the other humans before her, let alone one far away. It was disappointing. "It's a shame that Artemis isn't with you, otherwise I could have made him watch as I strung each of you up by your entrails."

None of them responded to her, instead they waited with silent resolve.

Opal glared at them again, her grin working its way into an offensive snarl. "Very well. If you are so eager to meet your doom, I will not leave you waiting any longer!"

Without pause, Opal threw her magic towards them, yelling with rancor as she wished death upon them.

"Here we go!" Quan yelled as he brought up his arms.

As the wall of dark magic roared towards them, the two warlocks threw up a wave of their own magic, forming a multitude of glowing projectiles. With determined yells of their own, they threw the assault into Opal's, sending the magical bolts barreling into the thick sea of crimson energy like a barrage of arrows. The two magical forces collided with a soundless explosion, followed by a delayed boom that threw waves of powerful wind throughout the chamber.

Opal gritted her teeth as she felt the power of the attacks reverberating through the air around her. She knew that she was stronger, but the combined capabilities of the two warlocks was an impressive force all the same. She knew that she would beat them eventually, so she let herself smile. With the thrill of fighting a capable foe now coursing through her veins, Opal threw a new series of strikes towards her enemy, screaming confidently as fire and dust mixed into the air around her. And so the fighting erupted like a supernova.

Crouching behind the shields of the two warlocks, Holly and the Butlers waited as the relentless winds subsided, their weapons held tightly. When it passed, they each stood up, aiming towards the pixie. Together, Holly's neutrino and the Butler's Sig Sauers lit up with fire. As Quan and Nº1 sent a relentless series of magical strikes into Opal's own, the bullets and laser blasts peppered the pixie's shielded form. Though they knew that such attacks were useless, they were also very annoying as well.

Opal twitched with irritation as the pathetic attacks struck her, their feeling very much akin to that of an elusive itch. It was the definition of annoyance that these feeble creatures fought against her, they were tiny vexations that no less infuriated her. She quickly doubled her efforts, pushing her enemy back with the sheer strength of her attacks.

As they held firm under Koboi's ruthless assault, Quan and Nº1 motioned to the individuals behind them. Holly, Butler and Juliet nodded. They knew what to do.

As the three of them prepared, the two warlocks delved into the recesses of their magical reserves, pulling out immense amounts of energy. The magic pooled in their hands, condensed tightly into basket ball sized spheres. With Opal bombarding their shields, they each grinned.

"Let's show that neophyte some real magic." Quan stated.

"With pleasure." Nº1 replied.

With a resounding whoosh of pure energy, the warlocks threw the spheres forward. As they flew, the four seemingly small and powerless balls of magic expanded into four gigantic blasts, each one striking a separate section of Opal's defenses with enough force to shatter her dark magic's intricate weaves. With a glorious explosion, the blue energy smashed into Koboi, obliterating her assaults.

"Dammit!" Opal seethed as the series of magical battering rams crushed half of her magical shields. The force of it made her kneel down, lest she be blown back into the stone pedestal over which the manuscripts hovered.

As Opal was forced into a defensive position, Quan and Nº1 let their shield drop. As it did, Butler, Holly and Juliet broke from behind the two warlocks, sprinting around the circumference of the room, the Butlers taking one side whilst Holly took the other.

Under the stress of the warlocks' strike, Opal managed to cast several beams of black magic towards the moving foes. Her attacks went wide, and were easily dodged.

_These fools are getting on my nerves! _Opal thought angrily, still piecing together her broken defenses. With her anger kindled anew, she simultaneously threw new attacks towards the marauding warlocks, reducing their offensive capabilities.

As the pixie did this, Butler and Juliet positioned themselves by one of the pillars to her right, laying down a steady barrage of high caliber rounds. At the same time, Holly fired at her from the left with her neutrino, still running. With the warlocks sending wave after wave of magic towards her, she was facing attack on three fronts. The boundless tenacity of her foes was most astonishing.

_Even though they cannot win, they fight as though they can._ Opal mused, absentmindedly blocking a volley of magical bolts. _What is it that they are hiding? _She didn't know, but regardless, she had to kill them so that she could finalize the Gate's spells. With black and red tendrils swirling around her, Opal attacked with increased ferocity.

Magic and fire flew through the air as attacks were thrown and deflected on both sides, sending destructive bolts of crimson and blue energy careening throughout the chamber. As the bombardment continued, Holly kept running past the pillars until she found who she was looking for. Behind the pillar directly to Opal's back stood Artemis Fowl, dagger in hand, and determination upon his face. As she reached him, Holly made sure to stay out of Opal's line of sight as to not draw attention.

"Artemis." She said with concern. "Are you sure you're up to this?"

The boy gave her a reassuring smile, one that beamed confidence. "I am absolutely certain."

Holly smiled, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "You've come a long way, mud boy." She said warmly. "You would have never done such a dangerous thing yourself ten years ago."

Artemis smiled. "I was a lot more selfish ten years ago." He paused, hearing the explosions and gunfire that marked the battle taking place. "I cannot allow for everyone to put their lives on the line whilst I remain safe. This is a burden we must all share, including myself."

An explosion blasted away a chunk of the wall to their left as one of Opal's attacks were deflected. Holly readied her neutrino.

"You know what to do." She stated. "I'll take up position to your right, keeping Opal's attention split between every side but yours." She paused as another explosion drowned out her voice. "When the time is right, take her down!"

Artemis looked at the dagger in his right hand. "I will." He said softly. He looked back to Holly, gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Holly. Good luck."

"Right back at you." The elf said enthusiastically before jumping out from behind the pillar, firing towards Opal once more. As she disappeared behind the series of stone structures, Artemis rubbed his temples, clearing his mind so that he could think.

Taking Opal by surprise was a lot easier said than done. There were hundreds of factors that played into the probability of the pixie noticing his approach, leaving a very brief moment in which he could strike. In order for his prediction to work, he had to know the magnitude of Opal's physical senses, her hearing, sight and intuition, as well as the moment in which such things were most impeded. There was also her magical senses. Given that he was thus far undiscovered, it was safe to assume that she was greatly affected by the Gate's magic, which she hadn't fully bonded to yet, therefore causing conflicting magics. Yet still, as he got closer, the chance that she would feel him was greater. Though it was impossible to accurately predict, Artemis had a good enough idea. All of this, plus many other factors such as the frequency of Opal's magical backlashes (which would kill him if he were caught in one), left him with an equation, one that would give him the best chance at succeeding. The one problem was that he could not predict what would happen next, and the equation only worked for real time events. Therefore, Artemis had to calculate the probabilities as the events were unfolding, which meant solving an extremely intricate series of functions and variables in less than a second so that he, if given the perfect answer, could still act whilst the moment was right. Artemis grinned slyly. He always liked a challenge.

"You are fools to believe that you can stop me!" Opal bellowed as she renewed her assault upon her enemies.

Using three primary spell weaves, she focused a triad of strikes upon her foes, one for each group. The main weaves were expanded by dozens of secondary and tertiary ones, forming gigantic serpentine beasts with feral eyes. The magical monsters flew towards their prey with frightening speed, shaking the earth as they roared demonically.

One of the crimson beasts slammed into Quan and Nº1's shields, eliciting a great lightning crack of energy. The dark magic pushed against it, and even though they kept the shield in place, the two warlocks were pushed back a few dozen paces, unable to fully resist the powerful force that struck them.

As the warlocks deflected Opal's strike, Butler and Juliet dodged another, while Holly did so for the third. The great beasts smashed into the ancient pillars by which they were standing, though it was not the pillars that were destroyed. As the dark magic hit them, the obelisks simply absorbed it, not even being scratched.

Holly hid behind one of these pillars until the deadly magic dissipated. She was in position, as were everyone else. The elf couldn't help but notice as the Gate's magic flew about the room, the countless spell rings still spinning madly. Opal's spell was still in action, even as she fought them. Holly had no idea how long it would take for the pixie to fully access the arcane power, but judging by the rising momentum of the magic pouring from the manuscripts, it was coming fast.

With her neutrino in hand, Holly stood back out from behind the pillar, motioning to Butler on the other end with her free hand. Time to pull the card from their sleeve.

On the opposite side of the circle, Butler nodded, his face set like stone. He looked to Juliet, who immediately acknowledged what they had to do. The two of them reached into their pockets, pulling out big handfuls of HE grenades, courtesy of the Berserkers. With their fingers through the pins, they broke from their cover, rushing towards Koboi as she blocked one of Quan's concentrated energy beams.

At the same time, Holly aimed her neutrino, firing the weapon at its highest possible level into the pixie, sending literally hundreds of high powered rounds barreling towards her.

With the neutrino rounds slamming into her, Opal turned her attention to Holly, flicking one of Nº1's energy bolts to the side with one hand as she prepared to fire with her other. As she did this, she noticed the two Butlers to the other side, though they held no weapons, making her grin. However, as the two humans threw several handfuls of unpinned grenades towards her, the smirk disappeared. _Damn these apes and their persistence!_

With grenades coming from her right, lasers from left and magical attacks from ahead, Opal drew her magic towards herself, forming a shield just as they collided. The three pronged assault slammed into the compacted crimson barrier, the area around it erupting into massive explosions of fire and magic. The warlocks, humans and elf continued to hammer Opal without pause, reducing the entire center of the circle to a smoke clogged firestorm.

Behind the enormous battle, Artemis Fowl narrowed his eyes, his determination climaxing as he calculated. Opal's backlashing magic was greatly dispersed, and with the three pronged attack dividing her attention onto three fronts, she was vulnerable. Additionally, all of the other factors were at optimal levels, as good was they were going to get. With the dagger clutched tightly in his hand, Artemis stood up fully, pushing all of his doubts and fears to the back of his mind, assuming an air of perfect readiness. It was time. With his black hair blowing messily in the wind and his suit very much dirtied, Artemis broke cover, running as fast as he could towards Opal Koboi.

Under her magical shields, Opal mused, her mind on other things as her enemies struck her.

_None of their attacks make sense. _She thought. _They must know by now that I cannot be beaten by conventional means...And even if they didn't they would behave much differently than they are..._

She frowned in contemplation. _What are they planning? Or are they so desperate that they ignore reason and try to stop me? _She grinned evilly. _They must be beyond desperate._

With a satisfied smirk, Koboi drew her magic into a condensed area, building it up casually. As the enemy attacked her, Koboi threw a densely packed ram of energy into the coming strikes, stopping them instantly. Her dark magic pushed the attacks back, and as they did, she sent a series of powerful bursts flying into the three directions, seeking to throw her enemy to the ground.

Holly and the Butlers quickly dodged behind the pillars, whilst the warlocks blocked it head on, resulting in them being pushed back even more. Quan was quick to extend his shield to cover Holly and the Butlers, who had little hope of avoiding the attacks for long.

With her enemies now forced onto the defensive, Koboi attacked ferociously, screaming with malicious glee as she hammered them with dozens of consecutive strikes.

As Opal's strikes rained down on his friends, Artemis sprinted through the forest of swinging tendrils, knowing their exact pattern and therefore following a foolproof path through them. He grimaced as great balls of fire rose into the air in every direction but his, feeling the heat from Opal's strikes blast by him. What worried him even more was the movement of the magical rings. They were starting to amalgamate into an even larger entity, an obvious sign of the spell's progression. Koboi must have been able to renew her efforts. Artemis clenched his teeth together with fiery conviction. He had little time. If he didn't stop her soon, it would be the end for them.

Sparks and debris flew past him as he ran, his labored breathing drowned out by the deafening cacophony of Opal's power. Artemis didn't flinch as rock fragments sliced his face, drawing blood as they left taunting cuts. He payed no attention to the pain in his chest and legs, the fear clawing in the back of his mind, or even the death flying all around him. He had a single focus: Opal Koboi.

The pixie had her back turned to him, her attention placed solely upon her vexing attackers. She laughed and snarled as she threw magic ruthlessly, her previous shields now gone as she focused entirely upon offense. Between her and Artemis, the manuscripts hovered five feet in the air, immense amounts of magic pouring from them as the circles beneath twisted into new designs, dancing with sick happiness as their intricacies were undone, their power only moments from being accessed.

Artemis as now only twenty meters away, so close he could hear her wretched laughter above the destruction. With one final push of will, he ran the distance faster than he thought possible, heedless of the powerful winds hammering against him. His cut face was determined, his eyes without hesitation. As he neared the unknowing pixie, he remembered all of the times he had faced her in the past, all of the pain and suffering she'd caused, and all of the lives she'd taken for her own selfish gain. He remembered the times she almost killed his family, his friends, and himself, each memory now amazingly clear. He could see the monster that she was, a monster that could never be satisfied, even if she gained limitless power and killed the whole world, such was the insatiability of her evil, the power of her madness. As she fought mercilessly before him, yelling rancorously, Artemis glared.

_This madness ends here, Opal! _He thought vigorously._ Though a feeble human I may be, I will not allow for you to gain a power that no one should control! _

He was literally a few meters from the floating manuscripts, the dagger held strongly in his hand, his visage fierce. He readied his arm, preparing to plunge the dagger into the artifacts that blazed brilliantly a few feet away.

"Die!" Opal screamed evilly as she rammed a massive strike into the warlocks' shield. The strike tore through the magic, slamming directly into Quan and Nº1. The two warlocks deflected most of its offensive power, but the attack still hit them like a raging troll, sending them flying across the chamber and into its solid wall. The two unconscious warlocks landed with a crunch, alive but severely wounded.

_Excellent! _She thought as she turned her attention towards the now powerless Butlers. _Now it's your turn-_

Opal Koboi felt something at the back of her mind, a presence. Whatever it was, it was directly behind her. Opal spun about, her eyes immediately falling upon Fowl as he held an archaic looking dagger in his hand, his eyes set upon the manuscripts.

"Fowl!?" She yelled as she turned, still caught up in throwing magic towards her enemies, and not completely convinced that the boy was a threat.

Artemis simply ignored her, raising the glyph covered knife above is head, an iron expression upon his face.

"You're finished!" He muttered coldly.

Opal's eyes immediately switched to the symbols upon the blade of the dagger, widening instantly with recognition. Everything made sense now, and it terrified her.

"No!" She screamed as she launched herself towards Artemis, every fiber of her being suddenly desperate and vulnerable.

Artemis brought the dagger down towards the manuscripts, the heat of its channeling energy searing his clothes and skin. As the ancient blade fell, everything seemed to move in slow motion.

"You bastard!" Opal screamed as she cast her magic, jumping into the air to intercept Artemis' stab.

_Too late. _Artemis thought coolly as the dagger neared the flaming artifact, only an inch away.

Opal screamed with anger, her dark magic flying towards Artemis.

Artemis could almost feel the dagger touch the paper. _Rot in hell, Opal! _

There was a sudden flash to his right.

_That's where you're mistaken, Fowl. _Koboi's vituperative voice spoke smoothly in his head.

Where Opal used to be, at the corner of his vision, was only air. He felt a whoosh of wind as something materialized beside him. In the slow motion of the moment, Artemis turned his eyes, just in time to witness Koboi flash into existence right next to him, floating in midair. Her face was dead serious, her eyes glowing madly. What happened next occurred faster than the eye could track.

Opal grabbed Artemis' stabbing arm before he could bring it down upon his target, squeezing it so hard that his grip failed, his forearm breaking in a dozen places instantly. As she destroyed his grip, Opal brought her other hand about, grabbing the falling dagger smoothly, whist letting go of Artemis' shattered arm. Using her spinning momentum, Opal spun about, dagger held menacingly. With a demonic hiss, she slammed the dagger into the boy's upper chest, burying it up to the hilt with a sickening crunch.

_It is you, Fowl, who will be rotting._

Opal's strike was far too quick for Artemis to track, though once the dagger met his flesh, everything became agonizingly slow, as though time was falling asleep. As Opal grinned maniacally before him, he felt the dagger collide. He felt it as its dull edge punched through his skin and muscle, leaving a huge entry wound the diameter of a soda can. He felt it all the same as it smashed though one of his ribs, sending the bone's fragments stabbing in every direction. And to his horrific terror, Artemis felt the dagger ram though his lung and into his rapidly beating heart, piercing his right ventricle like a pin into a water balloon.

Everything stopped. From his friend's attacks to Opal's own, everyone ceased in either horrified shock or sick pleasure. It was an impossibly frigid silence.

Artemis stared into space, his mind in a state of utter disbelief. _Am I...dying?_

A warm breeze gently caressed his face as he saw blood pouring from his chest, the dagger still buried to the hilt, unable to clog the wound. To his surprise, he felt nothing, his senses numbed into an ignorant bliss. How could he not feel his own heart get punctured? His hearing became weak, his brain only registering the faint sound of desperate cries and Koboi's laughter. Everything felt so distant, like long forgotten memories, traces of dew in the morning breeze. The faint tinges of darkness were already creeping from the edges of his vision, which was already distorted as his eyes teared up uncontrollably, the images before him becoming twisted shapes and stretched lights. He felt his mind tire out, the memories of his life flashing by slowly like a brilliant slide show.

_I can't die. _He thought tiredly. _Not now...not when there's so much at stake..._

His own thoughts trailed off, failed just as his body had. He began to feel cold.

_Not...like...this._

Opal pulled the dagger from Artemis' chest, the weapon making a wet sound as it was yanked from torn flesh and broken bone. With the wound now fully open, blood gushed freely, soaking the boy's suit in seconds. As she grinned with immense satisfaction, Koboi observed the human, who was standing motionless, his eyes set upon a distant place.

"Goodbye, Fowl." She said smoothly.

With her clenched fist, Opal struck Artemis in his grievous wound, sending him flying a few meters before landing with a pathetic thump. He didn't move.

Around the room, Artemis' friends stood in shock.

"Artemis." Butler said weakly, his massive frame shaking with grief, his hard face broken by flowing tears. Beside him, Juliet did very much the same. They had never felt so much pain.

As the others stared in disbelief, Holly ran. She ran as fast as she could, like a person possessed. She held her neutrino in one hand, though had all but forgotten about it. All that mattered was Artemis.

"Artemis!" She screamed as she sprinted to the fallen boy, tears already heavy in her eyes. She didn't even pay attention to Opal as she passed her, her mind entirely focused on her friend.

Opal glanced casually at the elf, but made no move to stop her. This was the sort of tragedy she dreamed of.

Holly crashed to her knees beside the still breathing Artemis, putting her hands upon him immediately, staining them with blood. Blood. There was so much blood.

"Heal!" She cried, shaking as magic poured from her small hands.

The blue sparkles of light flew around the boy, assaulting the massive wound in his chest like a swarm of bees. Still, the blood flowed.

"Heal!" She screamed again, desperately willing the magic to save the boy, tears flowing like a river.

The blue energy sank into him, but only mended the broken bone and a bit of the flesh, leaving the grievous wound otherwise untouched.

"Heal dammit!" Holly yelled with fury, but her words met deaf ears. There was nothing she could do for the boy. He was dying before her very eyes.

She looked over the Quan and Nº1, her tear filled eyes red and swollen. They were the only ones who could help him, and they were out cold.

"...Holly." Artemis' voice whispered quietly, the one word an almost impossible task for his fading life.

Holly looked back to her friend, her grief stricken eyes falling on his.

"Artemis." She coughed, choking back her sobs. "I'm so sorry!" She put her shaking hands upon his youthful face, feeling its cold immediately. His ivory complexion had drained of all the color it had left, leaving him the purest whites.

As Holly stared into his half closed eyes, Artemis looked into hers. His vision cleared, allowing for him to behold his dear friend, and what a suppressed part of him saw as a lover.

"Holly." He whispered again, the elf the only existent thing in the world to him, her name the only word he could form with his sluggish lips.

The elf sobbed, holding him close. "Please, don't die." She cried, unwilling to accept what was happening. "I can't..."

Artemis couldn't hear her words, but he felt her warmth, and it warmed his death chilled heart like a miniature sun. The creeping gloom of death faded as he looked into Holly's eyes, all worries and fears forgotten, small trinkets cast into a flowing river. He couldn't feel anything but happiness, his dying mind having forgotten Opal and everything that was happening, leaving only that which it held onto the tightest.

There was another warm breeze, the air softly displacing Artemis' black hair. It kissed his face, and as it did he felt his grip on life collapse. Death was calling to him, welcoming him with understanding and kindness, like a good friend. Still, he kept his eyes upon Holly, even as they ceased to function, his last sight being her brilliant mismatched eyes. What a wonderful sight.

He felt tired, so very tired. He felt the world around him fade into mist, the dark but warm wisps of death wrapping around him with care, lulling him to sleep. As his life closed its eyes forever, his mouth moved slowly, speaking so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

"Holly..."

Artemis' speech was followed by a long sigh as his life faded completely, the releasing breath sounding content and free. The faint breeze blew gently overhead, sweeping up high into the air as though guiding his spirit to the afterlife. Nothing disturbed the breeze. It was a thing so pure and innocent that even the dark magic in the air let it be.

_Holly_

After a short moment, the wind died, leaving Holly alone with the cold dead body of her best friend. Her bloodied hands were still upon his face, which was slightly warmed by their touch. Her eyes were still fixed upon his, which stared emptily into hers, their brilliant glint now gone forever.

"Artemis..." Holly croaked, her voice hollow and cold. She stared into his dead eyes, unbelieving as they looked right through her.

Holly knelt motionlessly above the corpse, reality still settling in, constantly refusing to accept what she saw. How could she? It was her worst nightmare, something that she had never gotten over since Artemis had died fighting Opal the previous time, but even then there was a way to save him. This time was different. He was dead. Opal had won. It was a colossal failure that shattered her hardened emotions, leaving her weak and cold.

With her blood soaked hands shaking uncontrollably, Holly let out a tormented wail of pure anguish, the sound of her cry reverberating around the chamber like a hundred voices in one. Tears poured like glistening dew from her eyes, falling upon the Artemis' bloodless face. Holly had broken down completely, and that was something that she almost never did, not since Opal had taken Julius. The pain of the memory stabbed her like a hot knife. Koboi had taken Julius from her, the closest person she'd had to a father. Now she had taken Artemis, the most brilliant person she'd ever met, and the greatest friend that she had ever had. The grief of his death surpassed an entire life of emotional hardness, all of her training and discipline, slicing deeper than anything ever could. Opal had yet again torn out a piece of her heart, leaving it shattered and incomplete, a horribly shredded rag, doomed to be alone. She had nothing left.

Bloody dagger in hand, Opal Koboi watched as the elf cried uncontrollably, her face twisted with pleasure. She had never imagined such a perfect victory, it was wondrous.

_Never in a billion years will this moment lose its potency. _She thought, her magic swirling quietly in the air as to not disturb the sweet cries of emotional agony.

"Opal!" A yell came from behind, filled with rage and sadness alike.

Koboi turned about, and was met by a dozen high powered bullets to the face. She didn't have time to block them, but she didn't care, not even as her head exploded in a shower of gore.

Butler and Juliet, their faces stricken with pain, held their weapons up, firing round after round into the pixie in one final attempt to stop her. They knew they were powerless, but what else could they do? She had killed Artemis. They would take nothing less than her dead corpse or die trying.

Opal's headless body cast a weave of magic, blocking the bullets whilst reforming her head in seconds, bringing her hateful gaze into the visual spectrum once more, her eyes gleaming dangerously.

"You fools never know when to give up." She stated smoothly, gesturing with her hand.

A bolt of kinetic energy flew towards the two humans, who had run out of ammunition. Butler dodged to the right as Juliet took the left, each of them narrowly avoiding the deadly blow. Immediately after evading the attack, both of them charged towards Koboi, Butler wielding his fists and Juliet a Berserker sword which she had strapped onto her back. Together, they made one final strike, fire in their eyes as they came down upon an amused looking Opal.

_How quaint. _She thought as they came at her from both sides.

Butler struck at her first, his massive fist flying towards her like a brick wall. Opal brought up her free hand, effortlessly stopping the bodyguard's powerful punch with her palm, grinning madly as she did. With Juliet charging from the other side, she sent a punch of her own into Butler, her small fist delivering an impossible amount of force. The kinetic energy of the blow sent Butler flying into the wall, leaving him motionless.

There was a whoosh of wind as Juliet swung her sword towards Opal's head, the girl roaring with grief catalyzed anger as she brought the blade down. Without the slightest of worries, Koboi spun about, catching the blade with one hand.

"You shouldn't play with knives, little girl." Opal said dangerously.

With a flash of movement, the pixie wrapped her fingers around the blade, her magic making her impervious to its edge. With a satisfied smirk, Koboi squeezed the blade, effortlessly shattering it into a hundred pieces. As Juliet dropped the useless sword and brought up a leg for a kick, Opal simply made a dismissive gesture with her hand, sending the human flying across the chamber, landing in a heap beside her brother.

Opal then turned her attention back to Holly, who was still kneeling by the corpse of her friend, her strong persona broken by grief.

"Enjoying yourself? Tell me, how's Arty doing?" Opal teased, walking casually up to the elf.

Upon hearing the pixie's voice, Holly's sobs stopped, her mind snapping into focus. It was like a heat seeking missile locking onto a target, and all that was left to do was kill. She felt a floodgate of hatred and rage pour from her heart, an endless tide of vituperation. Her eyes flared open, her shaking hands becoming still, the blood that covered them forgotten. Her head was filled with a sea of anger and despair, though only one word came to mind: _Kill! Kill! Kill!_

Holly spun about, neutrino held high and flaring with energy. With a possessed rage, she fired into the pixie, screaming with a hundred dark emotions at once.

Opal smiled as the shots dissolved in the air, having no effect upon her whatsoever. She didn't stop the elf, however. She very much enjoyed seeing individuals reach the end of their rope. For her, it was like watching a comedy, except this one was constructed upon the most sickening humor possible.

Holly screamed until her voice failed, her powerlessness forgotten in the tide of emotion. Even as her enemy sneered at her attempts, she kept firing, she had nothing else.

"Enough of this." Opal stated, swatting the gun from Holly's hand with a kinetic blast.

To her credit, Holly didn't even slow. Upon being disarmed, the elf immediately switched to her close quarters alternative: an LEP issued combat knife. With one fluid motion and a glint of steel, Holly drew the razor sharp blade, her eyes flashing with intent.

Koboi cocked a brow. "Oh, you're not done?"

Holly didn't humor the pixie with a response. With her knife in hand, she launched herself towards Opal, swinging the blade in a perfect arc towards the pixie's throat.

"So persistent!" Opal sneered, pleased to see that her foe driven by such hatred, and grudgingly impressed by her perseverance.

Holly was on top of her target, her eyes gleaming as bright as the glinting blade, filled with hatred. With a slight motion, Koboi stopped the elf, leaving her hovering in midair, knife held half slash.

"A valiant effort, Short." Opal growled happily. "Though as Fowl proved, such valor will only end in death."

Without pause, Opal sent a spear of dark magic into the floating elf. The magical lance stabbed right through her, pulling her down onto the solid floor. With a splash of blood, the crimson spear pinned Holly to the ground, leaving her utterly helpless. She felt enormous pain, but she ignored it, her eyes still on Opal.

"Opal!" She screamed, her countenance that of a rabid dog.

The pixie watched her, smiling devilishly.

"Don't worry." She said with mock concern. "I was sure to avoid any vital organs. You will live for quite a while." She motioned to the swirling magic that poured from the manuscripts. "And you will witness my victory without interruption. What a privilege!"

Opal's eyes flicked to the ancient dagger held in her hand. Though her outward countenance didn't change, she inwardly cringed. _That was too close. _She had never thought that such a countermeasure existed, and such ignorance had almost cost her everything. It shook her to the core. Such fear, however, quickly subsided. The Gate's spell was unbroken, and now that she held the dagger, nothing could oppose her.

_Still, I might as well make sure._

With her hand wrapped about the dagger, Opal pooled a dense concentration of dark magic, drawing a colossal amount of energy from the manuscripts' flow. The magic surrounded the ancient artifact, her only weakness, and flashed brightly.

_Checkmate!_

With a blinding explosion of light, the dark magic erupted upon the dagger. The stone blade glowed in defiance, but stood no chance. With a crack, the ancient weapon exploded, sending dozens of glowing fragments flying in all directions.

_Now nothing can stop me!_

Holly's eyes widened with dismay as the glowing chunks of the dagger flew by her. Their only advantage, their only hope, destroyed. She grunted, trying to removed herself from the magical spear, desperate to do anything but lay useless. Her efforts were met by an impossible level of pain, and even with her tolerance for such, her body gave up almost immediately. Even if she managed to pull herself free, she would be equally as useless. Artemis was dead, everyone else severely wounded, and the dagger was gone. What hope was there? She shuddered as she saw the boy's body to her right, oceans of tears coming to her eyes again. It was hopeless. It was over.

Koboi noticed Holly's sudden change of demeanor, and chuckled with delight.

"You cared a lot for that fool of a human, didn't you? You make me sick." Her eyes glinted brightly. "However, if it is of any comfort to you, it will not be long until you join him."

With the movement of the countless spell rings rising with the flow of magic pooling in the heights above, Opal placed her hands into the stream of flowing energy.

"Now, witness my power!" She bellowed. "Behold, the end of the world!"

The air exploded with magic, sending colossal streams flying about like massive snakes, though moving in a single pattern, swirling about Opal Koboi as she began the final phase of the spell. The earth shook violently, the roar of the dreadful magic now reaching a resounding peak.

_I'm sorry, everyone. _Holly thought sadly, watching helplessly as the world seemed to die around her.

The crimson energy met with Opal's own, and began a maddening dance as they appeared to transfuse. The circles moved with possessed speed, every marking glowing blindingly. Above all of it, Opal's laughter boomed, her voice now brimming with indescribable power.

_I'm sorry, Artemis._


	20. Burning

**Collapsed Tunnel**

_All units be advised, fire in the hole, over!_

A series of massive explosions tore into the stone debris that had filled the tunnel, sending enormous chunks of bedrock tumbling away. As dense smoke floated into the air, the remaining allied forces waited.

Commander Trouble Kelp frowned with frustration as he watched the smoke clear. They had been blasting away at the debris ever since Opal had bombarded the tunnel. Trouble had the utmost confidence in Holly and the others, but he would not stand by and do nothing as they took Opal on alone.

"Foaly, what's our status?" The elf said, impatience evident in his voice.

The centaur' voice crackled to life._ "The last set of charges took us to sixty-two percent excavation. I'd estimate at least ten more minutes of continuous demolition before a traversable path can be cleared."_

Kelp's frown deepened. "What of Holly, have you heard anything from them?"

"_Not a single transmission."_ Foaly said worriedly. _"I lost their signals not long after they pursued Opal's ship, though I attribute that to the extreme levels of electromagnetic influence."_

"I hope you're right." Trouble said, his face lined with worry. He couldn't imagine what they would do if they had been killed.

Another explosion rocked the fallen stone monoliths, causing several gigantic sections to slide away. As Trouble observed the blasting operations, another distant rumble began to rise. He looked ahead. It was obvious where it was coming from.

"Foaly!" Trouble called into his communicator. "Give me a scan on those tremors."

There was a brief silence.

"_By the gods!"_ Foaly exclaimed, his voice betraying a sense of absolute terror. _"It looks like-"_

The centaur was cut off as the tremors escalated into a deafening roar of groaning stone, along with them coming an invisible force that distorted the communication link to Haven. Trouble gripped his controls, gritting his teeth as he anticipated the entire tunnel's collapse. To his surprise, it held up, and the debris was reduced by half.

"D'arvit!" He swore as the colossal noise assaulted his ears. "What the hell is that?!"

Even though he was not even in contact with the ground, he felt the vibrations shaking him to the core. As they ripped through the tunnel, more of the debris fell away, and as it did a series of charges detonated from the vibrations, blasting a hole the size of a football field in the precarious mountains of collapsed stone. Dust and smoke blew relentlessly as hot air from the cavern ahead charged through, obscuring the view.

As Trouble looked into the gloom, Commander Ivankov's voice came in through his channel. _"I don't know what exactly is causing this."_ He yelled apprehensively. _"But it must be related to the Gate. Nothing else could cause a quake of such magnitude so suddenly!"_

If it was the Gate causing such a tremor, then it meant that Opal was enacting the final stage of her plan. Trouble's face drained of color. _Gods help us all._

**Unknown Location**

Darkness.

Nothingness.

Silence.

Artemis was aware as he floated amidst the sea of blackness, though he failed to understand what was happening. After he had died, he had blanked out entirely, leaving no clue as to how he got where he was. In fact, his mind had not yet remembered Koboi or any of the preceding events that had led to his demise, leaving him entirely lost. He could sense everything around him, though there wasn't much to sense. There was nothing but opaque darkness, not a single sound breaking the frigid silence. If he was dead, then what was this? Was this the afterlife? Voices in the back of his mind nagged that it was, but his own self denied that this was the case. The boy became aware that he had a physical form, at least from what he could tell. Was it that of a ghost, or was his body cast into another world entirely? He didn't know, and in the ruthless dark, he could hardly make out anything from which to make a deduction.

_Where am I?_

He looked into the distance, though the gloom left him with no depth perception or any discernible measure of substance.

_Is this death?_

An unknown distance away, a small pinprick of light flashed, then was gone.

"_I'm afraid not, human," _A disembodied voice stated flatly. It sounded old and wise, though it held a level of character that Artemis wouldn't attribute to that of a spirit.

Artemis darted his eyes about, unable to pinpoint the direction of the enunciation.

"_Who are you?" _He asked curiously, though fear marred his voice. He had just died, so his discomfort was rather understandable.

"_Great, Alwin, you got the ape's attention." _Another male voice stated sarcastically. This one was higher pitched, though still ancient and filled with mysteries.

"_I think it a good thing, __Cadeyrn__," _A third voice replied, this one female. "_After all, he is the first company we've had in what, one million years?"_

"_I concur." _An additional male voice added, this one deep and calculative.

"_Besides,"_ The first voice spoke again. "_This human is seemingly the only one who can do anything to halt that which has been put into motion."_

There was a long pause. Artemis looked into the darkness, his interest greatly activated, though he refrained from interrupting the conversation.

"_Aye, I suppose you're right..." _The second finally uttered, his voice suddenly sad and deflated, the previous irritation gone.

There was a brilliant flash as energy exploded from the void surrounding Artemis. Not a sound was made as the light swirled around him, eventually encircling him completely, leaving not a trace of the blackness that had dominated the expanse moments before. Despite the illumination, Artemis couldn't see anything but a hazy white mist that seemed to stretch on forever. As he looked about, the previous weightlessness absent, leaving him standing upon thin air.

"_I apologize for keeping you in the dark, human," _The first voice voice stated professionally, "_It must be rather uncomfortable being caught between life and death."_

Artemis could make out the direction of the intonation, and turned his head to see if he could make out the speaker. At first all he saw was the endless mist, but after a moment he saw the ubiquitous light pooling into recognizable forms, four to be exact. Fowl watched as the mists subsided, fully revealing the forms of the beings. Each had the unmistakable features of a warlock, and wore faded robes of great complexity that gave the impression of something that had once been beautiful but now robbed of its very soul. Apart from their general appearance, Artemis instantly noticed that they were continuously fading in and out of transparency, like ghosts. As they became fully visible, the foremost warlock looked to Artemis, his ghostly eyes piercing and intelligent. His face looked older than time itself, though his figure seemed strong and devoid of the ravages of age. Through the lines of age was a chiseled visage, its features powerful and commanding, yet there was a level of softness to it as well, like a stern but fair mentor. Though his head was bald, pure white hair flowed from his face, forming a straight, long beard.

"What is your name, human?" He asked smoothly, his voice neither judgmental or imposing.

Artemis absentmindedly moved to brush off his suit (which he, despite being dead, still wore), when he noticed that he too was not entirely present. Just like the others, he too was like a specter. The discovery only slightly fazed Artemis who, being the young prodigy that he was, focused on making a good first impression on the warlocks before him.

"I am Artemis Fowl the Second," He said respectfully, "And you are?"

The warlock nodded to him. "I am Alwin Marcellinus, leader of the ancient order of Vaelthüme." He motioned to the other warlocks around him. "These are my colleagues, Cadeyrn, Myrgjöl, and Theron."

The three beings nodded towards Artemis, though none of them spoke. Each of them were equally as old, though they were much different in appearance. Cadeyrn had a thin face, a long nose, and appraising green eyes, the sort that brimmed with cunning. His hair was cut short, and he had not even a hint of a beard, leaving his wrinkled face completely visible. He wore a similar cloak as Alwin, though his was much less elaborate, making it clear that he, along with the other two, were the leader's subordinates.

Myrgjöl was immediately recognizable as a female: her long, fair locks of radiant hair falling to her waist. She had striking blue eyes and a wizened visage with delicate features, and Artemis could instantly tell that she had once been immeasurably beautiful.

The third, Theron, was the most imposing. Though he was still much shorter than Artemis, the old warlock had the look of a hard as nails hunter, his face lined by not only wrinkles, but numerous scars as well. His dark eyes were filled with boldness and calculation, though along with greater measures of discipline and spirit.

Artemis didn't know who these warlocks were, or what was going on at all for that matter. His mind was still fuzzy, and for the moment all he could feel was immense curiosity in the beings before him.

Alwin's gaze never left the boy, and for a brief moment of silence he observed him as though he were sifting through the contents of his soul. After the short pause, his eyes became deathly serious.

"You look rather curious, Fowl," He said. "But I'm afraid that such will not be sated at this moment. You're presence here is a blessing, though a mere fluke as well. It would seem as though your soul was caught up within the workings of the Gate's magic, and thus channeled into our realm." He paused, his face growing solemn. "The Gate is opening, and thus ushering the world's destruction."

"The Gate?" Artemis asked dumbly, his memory still groggy and sluggish. What was that? There was a moment of silence as the boy thought, the fog in his mind clearing suddenly, making everything that had happened vivid once more. It hit him like a falling star.

"Opal!" He said hurriedly as the images flashed through his head. He saw the events once more, everything leading up to his death, clear as crystal. It terrified him. "She's claiming its power. She killed me, and my friends are..." He fell to his knees, suddenly weak, his body shaking from the shock that came with the sudden revelation. "I failed." he breathed, his voice filled with anguish. "Opal will win because of me." After a few seconds of despair, Artemis remembered the warlocks standing before him. "Can't you do something?" He asked them desperately. "Surely that's why you're here, you have something to do with this whole thing, don't you?"

The warlocks seemed to grow weak against the boy's question, their faces each becoming filled with sadness and regret.

"Yes," Alwin finally answered. "We are very much connected to this ancient power..." The old warlock frowned deeply, leaving the utterance unfinished.

Myrgjöl lifted her downcast head, shame in her eyes. "Indeed, we created it, after all."

"Wha-what?" Artemis stuttered, completely shocked by what he heard. "You created the Gate?!"

"No boy, we didn't create it." Theron said roughly as he looked to Alwin, giving the impression that the scarred warlock didn't very much enjoy explaining things.

Alwin nodded. "We discovered it...and manipulated it."

"Why!" Artemis said dangerously, suddenly angry. He had never though he'd meet the ones responsible for such horrid magical powers, and now that they were before him, it was easy to pin the blame for Opal's action upon them.

The elder warlock's frown deepened.

"I assume that you've been put through much pain due to our creations and the fool who seeks to use them." He answered, sadness in his voice. "The least I we could do is give an explanation."

"How can you sufficiently justify such evil!?" Artemis stated, his eyes flaring.

"We can't." Cadeyrn admitted. "Just hear us out."

Artemis fumed for a moment longer before forcing himself to calm down. Even though they were the ones responsible, if he could learn what they knew, he could possibly use it to his advantage. Judging by everything so far, he was certain that he was not entirely dead. Even the smallest glimmer of hope, the slightest of chances that he could do something to stop Opal, was enough to ignite an unstoppable fire. Letting out a deep breath, he calmed himself, assuming his signature look of impassivity.

"Proceed."

Alwin studied the human curiously, either surprised by his sudden change in demeanor or intrigued by what was the first human he'd ever seen in person. Whichever it was, his quizzical expression was quickly replaced by a morbid one.

"Very well," He said, "though for obvious reasons I will keep this brief."

He paused, taking a deep breath.

"Our era was one of the darkest for fairy kind, marked by seemingly endless conflict. The various races and their numerous factions were bitterly divided, and were cast in a perpetual state of war and strife. Countless lives were lost over petty differences and intolerance, and even amongst their own tribes, there was division. Such entropy covered the earth, lasting for many centuries in one war after another, each one worse than the next."

Alwin motioned to his colleagues.

"At the time, we were amongst an order of mages that sought to put an end to such chaos. We all knew that if it continued, it would consume us all. So, acting as a neutral party we sought to mediate between the waring factions, hoping to use diplomacy and reason to break the vicious cycle." He paused, sighing sadly. "Of course, such approaches failed, our words met by deaf ears. Even if one faction agreed with us, its opponents would not. In the end, our efforts were useless."

"Which left us little choice." Theron rumbled, his thick arms crossed.

"At the time it appeared that way." Alwin nodded. "Though most of the order were pacifists, a select few of us decided that the only way to end the madness was to enforce peace through power alone. Now, the others didn't agree with us, and so we were forced to leave the order in disgrace to pursue our corrupted studies on our own. And thus, the order of Vaelthüme was born, marking the beginning of our descent into madness."

Artemis listened intently, his mind absorbing the information and all of its connotations like a sponge. He didn't bother interjecting; he had nothing to say.

"Once we formed our new order, we began to study the military applications of advanced magic, which were taboo for elder mages. What we discovered was both terrifying and addictive, the desires that come with power rising as we went deeper into this form of magic."

"It was very promising at first," Myrgjöl stated. "We created spells that we never thought possible, ones that instilled immense fear in anyone who challenged us. But, ordinary magic could only go so far in its destructive uses. What we needed was a form of magic that was designed for nothing but destruction."

Artemis' eyes narrowed. "Dark magic."

"Indeed." Alwin answered. "If we were to truly dominate every single faction within the world in such a way that made them hopeless to resist, we would need such magic. The study of dark magic was, of course, shrouded in mystery. All warlocks knew of it, but few knew anything more than its name, its workings more myth than reality. Of course, given the nature of it, it was little surprise to us that no one pursued it. Dark magic is the product of corrupt emotions and the very essence of evil, its power flowing from the inherent flaws of this world and the depths of those beyond. Even we do not fully grasp the source of this magic, but at the time we didn't care, not even for its effects." There was a pause as the elder warlock grimaced, as though he were remembering a horrid thing, which he probably was.

"As is obvious," He continued, "We gave into this temptation, and drank from the poisoned chalice that this corrupt magic offered us. It was our greatest mistake, though we didn't know it at the time. From the moment we began using this magic, we lost ourselves, any traces of our rational selves becoming lost in the madness that the darkness brought." He shuddered. "So we worked in a possessed fashion, delving headfirst into the this hidden world, heedless of the consequences. It wasn't long until we had created dozens of immoral spells, each with the power to destroy entire nations with but a whim. One could say that we had found what we were looking for, but by that time we were incapable of being satisfied. We desired power beyond measure, and up to this point, we could still count it without issue."

"Which brings us to the Gate." Alwin stated, enunciating the last word with a particular level of disgust. "When we discovered it, we had no inkling as to its purpose. We could, however, feel the immense power flowing from it. We saw a limitless potential, and in no time sought to exploit it."

"Damn fools we were." Cadeyrn growled.

Alwin nodded his agreement as he continued. "With our current power over dark magic, we fabricated various means of exploitation, ways to access the power that the Gate offered." The warlock paused, looking to an unseen place. "The manuscripts that your enemy is using is but one of the weapons we created, just one of the numerous keys to the Gate, the last remaining one to be exact."

The elder warlock refocused he attention upon Artemis. "When we found the Gate and began to produce the spells in order to use it, we also made a lot of magical noise, more than enough for most magical beings to sense. This created a shock throughout every fairy society and, in only a matter of days, ceased the worldwide conflicts." Alwin smiled slightly. "It's ironic really. Even though it was no longer our intention, we had brought peace, peace through showing every fairy alive that the fate of the world was in the hands of several insane warlocks drunk with power."

Artemis nodded. "And so they rallied together against a common enemy."

"Yes." Alwin said. "It had a rough start, but when we began obliterating nations at random, they all came together under one banner, along with them all of the warlocks whom we had previously worked with. It was the four of us against the entire world, though such didn't mean we were outmatched. We were on the verge of utilizing the Gate's power, which would make us invincible. Therefore, in one bold move, the united armies of fairy kind struck, striking at us with everything they could muster. But even then, it was a bloodbath, bodies littering the earth for miles." Alwin grimaced at the memory. "In the end, it was the warlocks who defeated us. Numbering at ten-thousand strong, they hit us with more magic than even we could handle, and after a week of continuous battle, they killed us."

"Course, we didn't die exactly." Cadeyrn added.

Alwin frowned. "Not at all. You see, after using our dark magic to manipulate the Gate, we became linked to it. The Gate itself and the spells surrounding it required an investment, that being our very souls. When we died, we found ourselves trapped by it, leaving us to rot for all eternity within its clutches. It was a punishment that we very well deserved." Alwin motioned to Artemis. "Which brings us to now, a million years later."

Artemis contemplated what he had been told. It made sense, and most of it coincided with Quan's recount of the history behind Opal's artifacts. However, if there was one thing that puzzled him, it was the rather antithetical character of the warlocks before him.

"If you were so corrupted by this power, then what's with the change of heart?" The boy asked.

Myrgjöl was the one to answer. "The influence of the dark magic that had consumed us ended the moment we died, leaving us rather shocked. It was like waking up after a nightmare, yet we awoke into a whole new one."

Alwin nodded. "Only in death did we finally see clearly, and by that time it was far too late." He looked around. "And if that isn't enough, I believe that over a million years confined to this place will suffice. Trust me, we've had more than enough time to mull over our wrongdoings."

"That may be," Artemis stated coldly. "But that does not change what you've done."

"Of course it doesn't," The ancient warlock admitted bluntly. A deep rumble sounded from afar, bringing a grave look to his face. "But one can argue about blame later. Right now there are more pressing matters."

_Opal_. Artemis thought immediately, his fists balling once more at the mere mention of the pixie. Alwin noticed his anger and, with a silent sigh, gave him a knowing look.

"You still wish to fight her, don't you?" He asked smoothly.

Artemis didn't doubt it. "Of course I do! No one else can stop her down there!" He looked off into the void, envisioning the chamber that held Opal's victory. "Even if there is the slightest of chances, I will not give up."

Alwin smiled. "Even death hasn't ceased the flame that burns within you."

Artemis looked down to his semi translucent hands. "If I'm not mistaken, I am not entirely dead nor living either, but rather stuck between the two." He looked up to the warlocks once more, a determined fire in his eyes. "Do your powers have any influence here? Can I somehow get back?"

The warlocks looked to each other, each showing the telltale signs of being impressed. Artemis' resolve was rubbing off on them.

Alwin stepped closer to Artemis, a mixed expression on his face. "I'm afraid that our powers are not what they used to be. The Gate holds most of it, and what we have left cannot inflict any meaningful damage upon its processes, at least not directly."

"But there is something!" Artemis urged.

"Yes," The warlock nodded. "Though even then, our efforts will have no effect unless someone is there to seize them."

Artemis knelt down, grabbing hold of Alwin's robes and pulling him closer, his regard for formality gone in the wind.

"I will seize it!" He said desperately. "Surely there must be a way!"

There was an intense silence. Alwin regarded the boy with a worrying expression. Behind him, the other warlocks shuffled with unease, their faces betraying a sense of dread. After what felt like an eternity, Alwin let out a sigh, brushing Artemis' hands from his collar as he did so.

"There is a way..." He began.

Artemis' heart leaped.

"But it is by all accounts impossible."

"By what accounts?!" Artemis countered, unwilling to take such an answer. "Even if there is a one in a centillion chance of success, I will take those odds!"

Alwin's visage didn't change. "You don't even know what the way is yet."

"Then start enunciating." Artemis demanded.

The warlock intensely regarded the boy for a moment before replying. "Very well." He made a slight motion with his hand.

The air beneath them exploded with chaos, the endless white suddenly torn to shreds by a million shades of black and red. Everything became a sea of writhing madness, as though hell itself was waiting below, just out of reach. Along with it came a dreadful noise, one of a billion cries and a trillion growls, of death and malevolence, of hopeless agony. The unearthly cacophony assaulted Artemis' ears like a shock wave, making him cover them instinctively. As he looked underneath himself, his eyes widened. As far as the endless expanse went was a twisted sea of bloody tendrils and deformed monsters. The beings moaned and roared unnaturally, their hollow skulls looking upward as they clawed at the death filled air with long, boney fingers. To anyone, it would appear as though the bowels of Hades had been split open, spilling a sea of darkness into the void below. It was beyond terrifying.

"What is this?!" Artemis exclaimed as he stood over the scene, stepping back as the living dead clawed against the invisible floor separating them from the boy.

Despite the horrid sight, Alwin and the other warlocks seemed unfazed, as though they saw it every day; this was probably true.

"It is the way." Alwin stated, his voice level but his visage betraying unease.

Artemis gaped. He had never predicted this. "What is all this though?"

The old warlock frowned. "It is the essence of the Gate, the embodiment of its energy." He looked below himself as one of the dead clawed at him pointlessly. "These wretched things are the metaphysical representation of its power, the center of that which fuels it, pure evil."

Artemis looked into the hell below him. _So this is what stands between me and Opal._

Alwin continued his explanation. "As I stated earlier, your soul has not passed, but is caught within the metaphysical pull of our own trappings. However, that does not mean you are stuck to it as we are. Unlike myself or my colleagues, you can leave."

"Into that..." Artemis said softly as he looked into the evils that waited for him.

Alwin nodded. "Though I wish it were otherwise, that is the only path back to your realm. You virtually have to claw your way through the tempest of the Gate's magic that has engulfed the chamber, only then can you enter your physical form once more." He paused. "But as I said before, this has never been done, and is near impossible from the way I see it. Even if you were a being like myself, you would have no advantage. Magic is useless in that deluge of evil. The only way to surpass it is by willpower alone." His face tightened. "And there is an enormous risk."

Artemis didn't answer, he simply looked into the fires, his face calm and contemplative as he sat upon the formless floor.

"If you go in there." Alwin continued. "There is little chance you will make it out. Should you fail to reach the other end, you will be doomed to reside within that storm of dread for all eternity." He slowly put a hand upon the boy's shoulder. "Now that you know the cost, are you willing to pay the price?"

The maddening noise swirled around the boy as he watched the death below. He breathed in long, calming breaths, his face controlled, and his eyes an embodiment of determination. He was afraid, so very afraid, but he pushed it aside. There was only one thing that mattered. "As long as I have done everything I can." Artemis said softly. "I could care less if I am doomed to such a fate." He looked to Awlin, who was astonished. "I have no intention of failing, but I will accept any risk. I will pay any price if it means saving this world." He stood up, his face set in stone. "I accept."

Nobody spoke. The warlocks each examined the boy with looks of amazement, their previous stoicism shattered like thin glass. Alwin smiled widely. "In all my life, I have never seen such conviction." He then turned to the others, making a gesture with his head. They knew what it meant. The warlocks gathered around the boy, forming a circle. Artemis held firm in his resolve. Before him, Alwin stood in his place, his eyes now glowing slightly with magic. "Artemis Fowl." He stated. "I will remember that name." He extended his hand to the boy.

Artemis clasped it firmly, nodding to the elder warlock. "Thank you."

Alwin smiled anew. "You are truly a remarkable individual, far greater in character than we ever were." He let go of Artemis' hand, letting his hands hover in the air as they glowed brightly. "We will do what we can from here. Even if this fails, Artemis, you have my undying respect." His eyes flashed with magic. "You hold the very world in your hands, an undertaking far greater than any. I wish you the very best of luck." The four warlocks let out a stream of magic that surrounded the boy, the blue energy cool to the touch. As it swirled around him, Alwin looked Artemis in the eye. "Are you ready?"

Artemis took one more breath, setting his mind on everyone he loved. He though of his parents, his brothers, Butler and Juliet, Holly, and everyone else. As he took the breath, he remembered every wonderful moment he had had with them, every tear he'd cried with them, every victory they'd won together. He thought of these, and as he did so a content smile grew across his face. Even though he was standing over hell itself, he was happy.

"I'm ready."

There was a moment of silence as the magic blew through the air, its passage silent and comforting. Amidst the blue energy, Alwin spoke one last time. "Then go, Artemis Fowl. Save us all."

There was a flash of light all around him, followed by a wash of heat. As the screams rose to meet him, Artemis felt himself fall into the sea of the dead.

**The Gate**

The chamber shook violently as blood-red magic swirled around it, the glowing spell circles spinning at an impossible speed as the horrid noises of the Gate reverberated throughout the room. Above it all, Opal Koboi smiled, her body floating high in the air amidst the sea of power. Every fiber of her being was gleaming with energy, leaving her shining like a miniature sun.

"Such power!" She yelled passionately.

The magic relentlessly poured from every surface, the manuscripts below the pixie alight with the immense amount of energy.

Opal continued to carry out the complex spell, her mind working at an immeasurable speed as she worked towards her goal. Below her, the forms of her enemies lay unmoving. Nothing was in her way.

"Now it truly begins!" She bellowed horridly, sending a wave of power flashing through the chamber. The spell circles sped up exponentially along with the flowing magic, sending enormous tremors through the earth, shaking the cave at such a level that it was inconceivable that it managed to remain whole.

Opal laughed madly as the tremors intensified, the terrifying sound of her evil bliss amalgamating with the chaos all around her. The world, to all it would seem, was in its death throes.

**Haven – Police Plaza**

Sirens sounded all over as the building shook, the relentless tremors hammering the city like a wave of bombs. In his ops booth, Foaly held onto his desk, still eying the monitors and making a desperate attempt to do anything to help.

"Come on, there must be something!" He growled through gritted teeth.

As he worked, the power to all systems failed, leaving everyone in the dark. The centaur sat back as his screens went blank, winking out one by one like soldiers being picked off in battle.

"Oh gods." He said softly, staring into space as the tremors assaulted everything around him. Was this it? Had they failed? He didn't know, and every fiber of his being wished that they were going to succeed. But in the chaos that now surrounded him, he could not help but doubt. He thought of his love, of the family he'd never have. "Please." He cried quietly, tears streaming from his face. "Don't let this be the end."

**Swiss Alps – Sawyer's Estate**

"So then he took out Britva's chopper an avalanche. A goddamn avalanche!" Jack yelled loudly into his cell phone as he sat in a leather chair, feet up on his desk. "I gotta say Jon, when you told me that it was Fowl that did you in, I could hardly believe it. I mean, that kid, a threat?" He laughed. "I now stand corrected."

A knock came at his door, followed by Victor.

"Sir, if I could have a moment." The massive Serbian stated roughly.

Sawyer nodded to the man, still talking on the phone. "Yeah Spiro, could you hold for a moment? Thanks." He put down the phone. "What is it?"

Victor cleared his throat. "I've gotten word that the remainder of the Le Baron syndicate has taken our advice. They're looking to cease hostilities."

"Just as we expected." Jack stated, assuming a more business-like demeanor. "Get them on the line, I'd-"

His speech was cut off by a massive tremor, sending him flying from his chair and onto the floor. Victor grabbed onto the wall, though he also lost his balance. The room's lights flickered as the ground shook violently, causing for the bookshelves and furniture to fall over, creating an even greater ruckus.

"Christ!" Jack growled as he got to his feet, steadying himself with his desk. "What the hell is that!? We never get quakes like this!"

There was a deep groan as the mansion shook on its foundations, the very earth beneath it making a laboring noise as it was forced about.

Jack, followed by Victor, stumbled to the balcony, throwing the doors open to see what was happening. As he beheld the Swiss mountain range, the color drained from his face.

"Holy shit." He deadpanned.

Snow and dust filled the distant sky, thrown into the air by the forces that were taking hold. Even the colossal mountains were not impervious to the quake's power, entire sections of the range moving slowly on precarious angles, some of the mountains even cracking in half. The sound of crumbling stone echoed throughout the valley, creating a terrifying symphony of doom. It was like the end of the world.

Jack Sawyer watched the shifting mountains with an apprehensive expression, reaching into his pocket to retrieve two cigars. With a slight shake to his hand, he fumbled with his lighter, lighting the cigars after a moment of struggle. After handing one to his right hand man, the crime lord stuck the other into his mouth, taking a long drag. After several solid seconds of inhaling the smoke, he visibly calmed.

"Damn." He stated, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "This is some serious 2012 shit."

**Wales – Fowl Safehouse**

"Mother, I'm scared!" Myles and Beckett cried simultaneously as the tremors assaulted the building.

"It's okay to be scared." Angeline soothed, holding them close. "I'll keep you safe, I promise."

The three of them were hiding underneath the table in the play room. The now completed solar array lay forgotten on the other side of the room, the floor covered with random toys and devices as they rolled around chaotically to the earthquake's rhythm.

On the far side of the room, the door burst open, revealing Artemis Fowl Senior flanked by several armed guards.

"Is everyone alright?" He called out, rushing to the table under which his family was hiding.

"We're fine dear." Angeline called back, coming out from under the table to embrace her husband, followed closely by Myles and Beckett, who grabbed onto their legs. The embrace only lasted a second as the tremors intensified, causing for everyone to stumble precariously.

"We have to go!" Fowl Senior yelled above the noise. "It's not safe here!"

"I know!" Angeline stated as she, along with everyone else, rushed to the doors. It was not at all too soon, as just as they exited the room, the entire floor above caved in, leaving the play room smothered in dust and debris.

They quickly ran down the halls, emerging into the nearly pitch black outdoors. What was peculiar about this was the fact that it was day. As they stepped outside, they looked up, beholding a thing of nightmares. The sky above, which had been clear and blue only minutes before, was now a sea of black clouds. Thunder cracked as crimson bolts flashed through the air, their passage lighting up the roiling storm clouds with a blood red glow.

"Dear Lord!" Fowl Senior exclaimed as the red skies bubbled like a boiled sea.

Angline watched with equal dismay. She had no doubt that what was occurring had something to do with Artemis' foe, which brought even greater fear to her mind.

_Artemis! _

**The Gate**

Holly gritted her teeth against the pain, the glowing spear lodged in her chest impervious to her attempts to free herself.

_Who am I kidding? _She thought sadly. _There's nothing I can do to stop this now._

Opal's insane laughter taunted her endlessly as the chamber swirled with magic, the winds howling along with the groaning earth. By now Opal's spell was nearly complete, ushering in the literal end of everything. Just thinking of it brought anguish to Holly's mind, which was compounded further by the lifeless form of Artemis lying to her right, the pool of blood around him already drying out.

_I'm sorry, Artemis. _She thought again in anguish, her eyes weeping despite being empty of tears.

Koboi's laughter resounded even louder as the spells multiplied, making her voice sound like a thousand roars in one. Wincing with pain, Holly sagged back down onto the magical spear, her strength long since retired. All she could do now was watch the gleaming form of Opal within the magical storm above her, watch as her most hated enemy gained the power to destroy worlds. Her eyes began to droop as she felt herself grow cold. She was losing a lot of blood.

Holly lied there powerless, her vision becoming less and less as the minutes passed. In her growing weakness, she failed to notice as the pieces of shattered iron slowly dragged themselves across the floor, towards the cold body of Artemis. If one looked closely, they would notice that there was no longer a pool of blood beneath him.


	21. One Last Time

**Unknown Location**

The first thing Artemis felt was pain, unimaginable pain. He plunged into the sea of writhing forms like a rock, ending up completely submerged in the horrid monsters that constituted it. They surged on top of him like a legion of rabid dogs, howling unnaturally with their rotten maws, their empty eye sockets seemingly focused upon the boy who had entered their domain. Artemis felt fear explode into his mind as the dead grabbed at him, their twisted hands seeking to pull him down into the depths. His eyes widened as one roared not an inch away from his face, assaulting him with the worst stench he'd ever smelt. Despite the iron resolve he had held not moments before, Artemis began to shake uncontrollably, the horrors around him relentless and vivid. It was the pinnacle of everything that was wrong. In a moment of utter terror, he screamed, fear now consuming him.

The creatures around him seemed to enjoy his plight, their grinning skulls stretching into purely impossible grins, the empty space within their dark eye sockets glinting with tiny pinpricks of bloody red light. They felt the terror of the soul amidst them; they licked it up voraciously. With the demonic grins plastered upon their dead visages, the monsters pulled him down, deeper into the bottomless sea of darkness. As he felt himself descend into the writhing masses of living dead, Artemis felt a voice barge through his terror.

_Stop! _He heard a part of his mind demand. _You will not let this defeat you!_

Artemis ceased his cries as his mind began to focus, shutting away the debilitating emotions as he had trained himself to do so from a young age, surprising himself with how easily he did so given the circumstances. The monsters around him were absolutely terrifying, but when he considered it, the thought of Opal succeeding brought far more fear than the former ever could.

_I have to do this!_ He thought vigorously, grimacing as the mutated dead pulled him deeper into the sea of limbs. He was not sure where he was going, nor where it was he had to go. His sense of direction was gone, every angle an impenetrable wall of twisted forms. Alwin had told him that will and will alone would triumph over what he faced now. But will was not something one could simply wish upon oneself; they either had it in sufficient amounts or did not.

He struggled against the hold of the monsters, trying to pull himself free of their frigid touch. He could not; they held him with immovable grips. Even his greatest efforts failed to make their grasp even shift, and as he gritted his teeth in his attempts, they simply sneered at him with their empty skulls. They had him.

_They're too strong! _Artemis thought angrily. He could feel the tingle of panic creeping at the back of his mind, like the humble beginnings of a raging torrent. Something had to be done, and fast. It was getting colder as he went farther down, the only source of light being the small glints from the skulls of the evil manifestations. He tried again to free himself, but to no avail. Struggling against them physically was a fool's errand.

_I can't let this happen!_

A deep roar sounded far beneath him, sending a rumble through the nearly solid mass of living corpses. Artemis had no time to deliberate the source of the noise, as the rotting bodies beneath him fell away, sending him falling into a nearly pitch black void. He yelped as he plummeted into the dreadful unknown, certain that he would either never stop falling or end up squashed to a pulp. Was it even possible for a spiritual form to be rendered into a pulp? He didn't know, and sure as hell didn't want to find out.

_Not that there's anything I can do to stop it! _He thought desperately, his inability to see anything beneath him causing for his imagination to fill in the blanks with horrifying possibilities. No amount of self control could waver the primal fear of the unknown.

He fell for what seemed like an eternity, and as suddenly as the fall had begun, it came to a halt. He winced despite himself, but found that such was unnecessary; his fall had been broken by an unseen force, leaving him unharmed upon an unknown surface.

_Where am I now?_

Artemis looked around the new environment, searching for any clue of a way out. The dark chamber was flat, its very floor made up of a darkness that was solid and chilling to the touch. Its walls, if it had any at all, were hidden in the impenetrable gloom, leaving Artemis with no indication as to how far the area stretched. Given previous experience, it was safe to assume that the gloom never ended.

_Am I closer to an exit, or is this deeper into the void? _He thought, still looking about cautiously.

It made sense that, after such a fall, he'd be farther into whatever hell he had entered. If anything, however, this area was an improvement. Gone were the horrid monsters and seas of rotten flesh, the maddening cacophony of millions of unnatural screams, all of them replaced by a silent darkness. The lack of such terrors was a relief, but it did nothing to calm his nerves; he was still in the depths of the same madness that had consumed Opal. Until he was free and in his own body, he had to stay vigilant.

Artemis continued to observe to blackness, but to no avail. The gloom swirled quietly around him like a predator stalking its prey, refusing to grant him any sight of his surroundings. It didn't take long for him to accept the fact that he would just have to start walking. With a cautious gait, the boy began walking into the dark, choosing a random direction. He didn't know what the purpose of this new place was, but its frigid calm was unsettling.

As he walked, the dark mists followed, taunting him silently in his attempts to find a way out. Artemis growled with frustration, knowing that every second he spent in this hell was a second Opal had to wreak havoc.

_This place is playing games with me. _He thought angrily, his eyes, though impeded by the dark, not missing the purposeful movements of the darkness. Still, he pushed onward, knowing there was nothing else he could do.

"_Artemis."_

He froze, his eyes darting about in search of the utterance. As he did so, the already frigid air became thrice as cold, and the gloom swirled with quiet laughter. Artemis stared into the blackness, his breath caught in his throat. The voice was almost familiar, yet he could not find the name.

"_Artemis."_

He spun about, and this time his eyes made purchase upon a form in the mists. It was hunched over, its back to him. A faint sound came from the being, and in the unbearable silence, it filled Artemis' starved ears. It was crying, its small frame shaking amidst quiet sobs that spoke of an endless sorrow. Artemis stared at the being, wonder what, if anything, he should do. After a moment of observance, his morbid curiosity took over.

"Hello?" He called softly, walking slowly towards the hunched form. It didn't show any signs of hearing him, remaining in its lonely, broken state. Artemis stepped nearer, wondering who the despairing figure was. The darkness kept close behind him, swallowing up the visible air that he had passed through with silent hunger.

Artemis was now a few paces away from the crying being. At this distance he could make it out completely, instantly telling that it was a child given its size, or was it a fairy? He took another step, and as he did his eyes locked onto the hair. It was auburn, and kept in the exact fashion of his close friend.

"Holly?" He whispered, his voice betraying the incredulity that he felt.

She didn't respond, instead heaving into even greater sobs, almost silent save the sporadic breaths. Artemis stared in disbelief. It was her, it had to be.

"Holly!" Artemis called out, falling to his knees behind the elf. He grabbed onto her, pulling her into an embrace, willing to share whatever grief that ravaged his friend. "Holly, what's wrong? How are you even here?"

She didn't answer, but the sobbing stopped, leaving in eerie silence. Artemis blinked; with his arms wrapped around her, he should have been able to feel her heartbeat and breathing. Instead, he felt nothing. As he noticed this, he became aware of how cold she was, his arms already in pain from the immense chill that seemed to leach into him from the elf.

"H-Holly?" He whispered uncertainly, pulling his freezing arms away from her, though still kneeling right next to her. Again, she didn't respond. Artemis felt his unease grow exponentially. "What is this?" He breathed to himself.

There was a flit of movement in the darkness to his right, then another to his left. The blackness swirled around him as it always did, but now a faint sound crept from its shadows. It was indistinguishable, but it dripped with haunting soullessness.

"_Artemis." _A hollow voice rasped. It sounded like it came from all directions at once, but as it came again, Artemis found that it was Holly.

"_Artemis."_

Artemis stared at her, trying to fit the voice to the elf's. It didn't fit at all. It sounded as though someone was trying to speak with a half cut vocal cord and a few quarts of blood in their lungs, and even without that, the voice was utterly devoid of anything that could make it Holly's. It was a voice of death.

Holly's hunched form lurched, startling Artemis. She twitched again, eliciting an unhealthy snap from her body, followed by a rattling breath. There was a slight moan in that breath, an emotionless, dead moan.

"_Artemis." _She rasped again, this time louder, almost above a whisper.

Artemis simply stared, frozen.

Holly's broken form lurched violently to one side, then became deathly still. There was a terrifying pause, followed by a series of sickening crunches as her head began to turn. Artemis watched with pure horror was his friend's head turned about, not stopping where it should have. With wet, gut-wrenching snaps, Holly's head spun about completely, loose and lopsided, like a worn out bobble head. When he saw her face, Artemis could have sworn his heart stopped.

She was, of course, much like Holly; the miss-matched eyes, the facial structure, and other tiny features. The problem was that only half of her face was actually there, the rest either bone or twisted flesh, leaving her half decomposed. Her eyes were perfect circles that reflected complete insanity, impossibly wide as they stared into Artemis' soul. With more cracking sounds, she grinned, showing hundreds of needle-like teeth.

"_Artemis."_

Artemis gaped, falling backward in absolute terror at what he saw, and subsequently pushing himself away from the rotten doppelganger. He couldn't form words, though speaking was the least of his priorities as Holly lurched after him, moving like a strung puppet.

"_Artemis. Artemis. Artemis..."_ She kept saying hollowly, her insane eyes bleeding black blood as she repeated his name like a demented chant.

"No, stay away!" Artemis yelled, frantically retreating from the elf.

Of course, she didn't listen, and as if to torment him more she doubled her pace. As he continuously backpedaled, Artemis began to see shadows moving in the gloom all around him. He looked behind himself and saw the same. He was surrounded by dozens of figures, though the darkness hid them.

"_Artemis...Artemis...Artemis..." _He heard the figures whisper, each with a different voice, each of them strikingly familiar.

"No..." Artemis breathed, eyes wide with the realization of who the others were.

The shadow cast figures materialized from the darkness one by one, moving slowly and erratically, as if walking was something new to them. They moaned and rasped as they shuffled into visibility, their very presence an abomination that laughed in the face of all things good. They were, to Artemis' horror, everyone he'd ever cared for.

"_Artemis...Artemis...Artemis..."_

His eyes flitted from one form to another as they emerged, every time finding something of nightmares. The first to come out was a vastly deformed Butler, his massive frame hunched and bent on an angle. His body was bristling with bones that jutted out from rotten flesh, gleaming and sharp. His eyes were just as Holly's; dead and insane.

Next came his brothers. Both crawled on all fours like animals, their small bodies twisted into predatory forms. Their fingers were over three times their normal length of razor sharp bone, as were their toes, and their arms had three joints instead of two. They smiled at him with razor filled mouths, their feral eyes showing a slight amount of childish innocence as they bore down on him.

Artemis fell to the ground, his legs weak. Were these grotesque mockeries of his loved ones conjectures of the dark magic, or were they really his family and friends, now dead and turned into monsters for Opal's sick enjoyment?

More came. His father and mother, much like two half exhumed corpses, shambled in. Then came Juliet, or at least her upper half. Mulch and Foaly, each bent horrendously out of shape, dragged themselves in next, followed by Quan, N°1, and even Minerva. They were all horribly disfigured, as though someone had placed their limbs in all the wrong places, and then threw in a few extra as an afterthought.

"This-this can't be happening!" Artemis choked, turning in all directions to find the horrid shapes of his closest friends and family. He could smell their stench as they closed in on him, and see the sickening details of their torn faces. He keeled over, vomiting up nothing but air, his dry heaves sucking the oxygen from his lungs.

"_Artemis...Artemis...Artemis..."_

Countless more forms stepped from the darkness, each mirroring a part of his life in a sick, mocking fashion. Each and every one of them stared at him relentlessly, their visages displaying a litany of dark emotions. Artemis, still gagging from pure disgust, heard a rasping voice right beside his ear.

"_Artemis."_

He turned slightly, and as he did so Holly's horrid face came into view, her needle-like teeth grinning hungrily at him. Her eyes were somehow wider, and now that she was this close, he could see untold madness inside them. He fell to the ground again, but had nowhere to go. All around him were the familiar doppelgangers, each leering at him maniacally with their twisted faces. Artemis clenched his teeth as they closed in, shaking uncontrollably as fear and sadness overtook him.

An even greater chorus of cries sounded in the gloom high above, assaulting Artemis with a wave of horrid noise. He noticed that the previous gloom was amalgamating with a crimson glow. He looked up, his tear filled eyes widening instantaneously. The entire expanse above him was filled with a solid mass of writhing beings, the same one he had first fallen into and subsequently escaped. Now the sea of death was falling down upon him, one united wall of flesh and bone.

"Oh god..." He croaked.

With a series of unnatural groans, the twisted forms of the surrounding creatures surged towards him, reaching out to grab hold of their prey. Artemis sat there, staring up at the death filled sky with a sad look in his eyes. In an instant, he felt his resolve shatter like a mirror, its glorious pieces falling away into an abyss, never to be recovered. He felt so small, so insignificant, so powerless; he felt hopeless.

There was a great screech in the air as the horrid forms of his loved ones piled on top of him like a pack famished hyenas, covering him in moments with their grotesque bodies. At the same time, countless millions of the dark apparitions fell from above, burying everything in a sea of rotting flesh.

**Outer Chamber**

The pattern covered walls of the ancient cavern pulsed with crimson light as the earthquake created a chorus of groaning stone. Dust and smoke blew through the air as a dozen ships landed upon the chamber's battle scarred outcropping, their pilots doing their best to compensate for the colossal vibrations that were shaking them to the core. Many more interceptors flew around the large cavern, vigilant should any more hostiles appear. The cave, despite the seismic chaos, was perfectly intact. Below them, in the sea of bubbling magma, the burning form of Opal's battleship smoldered, still sinking into the molten rock. Inside his LEP interceptor, Trouble Kelp managed a grin, taking great pleasure in seeing the pixie's ship in ruin. The smirk, however, did not last long. He knew that Opal wasn't beaten, the dooming earthquake was a sure sign of that. Bringing his ship down for a landing, Kelp checked his communicator, growling with frustration as he failed to get any signals. Was there even anything left to signal to? He clenched his teeth, pushing the pessimistic musing from his mind. Regardless of what happened, he had his duty, and he would be damned if he stood by and let Opal win.

As his ship made contact with the surface, he felt the vibrations grow exponentially, rattling his ship like a fragile toy. It was annoying, but his mind was on more pertinent matters.

_I hope Holly and the others are alright._

Given the amount of carnage within the chamber, he was certain that they had made it past Opal's remaining forces, meaning that they were at the Gate, doing everything in their power to stop Koboi. He believed in them, but with the entropy that had engulfed the world around him, he was beginning to have his doubts. The possibility that they all may be dead terrified him, because no matter what he or any of his remaining officers did, they would be powerless to stop Opal.

Trouble took a deep breath to calm himself, then pushed open the ship's canopy, emerging into the hot winds of the magma lit cavern. He warily regarded the gleaming markings that covered the walls, eying them with disgust as he jumped to the solid ground, pulse rifle in hand. Around him, dozens of LEP and allied fighters had landed, their occupants now removing themselves from the ships, weapons ready. Commander Ivankov and his men were already formed into squads, checking the landed daemon transports for any hostiles.

_If they have been beaten, then Opal has no real threats left to challenge her. _Kelp thought, staring into the glowing tunnel at the end of the outcropping. _If even they failed to stop Opal, what hope do we have of defeating her? _He looked back to his men, seeing nothing but pure determination on their part. He smiled proudly, his mind already made up. _Even if there is no hope, that will not stop us now. If this is our end, then we will make it one worthy of remembrance. _He looked again to the cave, his rifle gripped naturally. _We will not give Opal the pleasure of seeing us cower beneath her. We will show her that even in defeat, we are far greater than a monster like her can ever be!_

Commander Kelp motioned to his men. "Let's go!"

**Unknown Location**

The insane chorus of the innumerable monsters blended with the blood tinctured gloom, the ubiquitous glow seeping through the clamoring limbs and gnashing teeth, illuminating their hateful faces in every dreadful detail.

Artemis lay near lifeless amidst the imprisoning mass of dead, the cold now warm compared to the chill in his heart and soul. The twisted mockeries of his friends were all around him, their gnarled fingers holding him fast as their hellish eyes taunted him, daring him to try and escape. He failed to even squeeze his eyes shut, completely paralyzed by the numbness that was seeping into him from the dead, as though they were slowly converting him into one of their own.

His mind was growing numb as well, the terror that had engulfed it a buzz in the distance, replaced by a sense of dimming light. He could barely articulate thought, and even though he knew full well the fate he would suffer if he failed to escape, his resistance was virtually nonexistent, eaten alive by the horrors that subdued him.

_Is this all that you can muster!? Pathetic! _An accusing voice taunted from nowhere, its speech filled with spite. Was it his own critical mind, or was the dark magic making fun of him now?

_You are a failure! _It said mockingly. _Your soul will die here, dooming those who were stupid enough to call you their friend! _

Artemis felt the accusations slice into him. Usually such words wouldn't hurt, but with the dead forms of his family and friends glaring into his soul, he felt as though he had already lost them to whatever hell had taken over the world. He stared dumbly into the air as he felt everything grow even colder, his memories and consciousness sinking into a sea of mist. All he had ever been was being sucked away, robbing him of his very identity. He could barely think, but he still wondered why he couldn't recall his name. Who was he?

Upon him, the gnarled form of Holly grinned widely, as though sensing his failing grip on reality. The others each hissed their own approval, the feral madness in their eyes glinting sharply like well polished knives. Whatever agenda they had, it was progressing perfectly.

Artemis saw the faint tinges of darkness begin to form at the edges of his vision, though the occurrence barely registered in his mind. He felt...hollow.

One by one, the deformed hands of those around him pressed into him. They didn't stop as the physical boundary, however, they simply passed right into him, into his partially ethereal body. It was as though he were made of air, and the beings were grasping at mist—but they were not failing in their attempts to destroy. As they passed into him, he felt the icy cold go beyond measure, and the dark ring in his vision expanded almost across his entire field of view. It was like something was being sucked out of him, something that was irreplaceable. It felt horribly wrong.

The taunting voice laughed insanely in his ears, its source everywhere at once. _Pathetic failure! How do you live with yourself?_

The words seemed so far away, along with everything else, fading into black ever so slowly. He was sinking into the depths of an abyss, his very essence falling apart like dispersing clouds in the sky. As he sunk, the only two words that came to his deadened mind were the same he'd been thinking ever since he'd fallen.

_I'm sorry._

As soon as his eternal regret flashed in his mind, his vision failed, leaving nothing but darkness.

**The Gate**

Opal Koboi laughed as more and more power flooded into her, an endless surge of magic that went beyond any possible means of measurement. It was truly a bottomless well of magic, and it was all hers. The spell was not yet complete, however. She still had a few irritating minutes to go before she unlocked the Gate, and opened the way to the actual prize. But despite her usually impatient nature, she didn't mind one bit. Her enemies were all dead or dying, and the dagger was destroyed, leaving nothing in her way. Besides, there was no rushing such a beautiful moment of triumph. She wanted to savor this feeling, drink every last drop of it while it lasted, lavish herself with it. Why not? She was, after all, a god; what could possibly stop her now?

The tremors shook relentlessly as her mind swam with power, oblivious to all else. The sounds in the air grew and grew into impossible choruses of dread, almost at the grand final of the horrid climax that was literally shaking the entire planet. And this was but a taste of that which was to come. Once she gained the power that the Gate offered, there was no limit to what she could do. The universe, every reality imaginable, everything above and beyond the previously incomprehensible, would be her oyster. How wonderful that felt!

_Oh Artemis, if only you were alive to see me now. _She thought wickedly as she shifted another layer of the spell into place, eliciting another layer of was so close now, there were only a few steps remaining, a pittance of time between the world and an eternity of damnation. Opal's insane grin was seemingly permanent as everything fell into place, a reflection of her uninterrupted madness. _You've been a formidable foe, Fowl, but everything has its end...apart from me of course. _Her eyes were burning like condensed stars. _Wherever your pathetic soul is rotting now, I honestly hope that you are witnessing the results of your failure. That is a punishment from which even death will not spare you!_

The chamber was hammered by another wave of tremors as another spell weave was put into place. The intricate spell circles were now almost completely amalgamated into a singular entity, with only a few remaining to be integrated into the colossal equation. Opal felt the anticipation course through her veins like liquid fire; the time was almost up.

**Unknown Location**

An eternity passed, an eternity of nothingness. _He_ was nothingness, a useless soul trapped within itself, incapable of doing anything but wait for a salvation that would never come. He knew nothing; not his name, not even the simple fact he existed; everything was empty of meaning. Feeling nothing, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, thinking nothing...was here anything tangible here?

He lay weightless in this formless prison—all purpose, all freedom—gone. He was a ship without sails or oars, left in an endless sea devoid of wind and current. It was hopeless. And so, in his catatonic state, he drifted to nowhere.

For another eternity, it seemed, he floated. After an endless passage of distorted time, a voice echoed through the emptiness.

"_Artemis!"_

It was impossibly far away, yet he heard it clearly; he recognized it! With his numb mind, he struggled to make the connection, to make any sense of the voice, to build the bridges that had been burned by the terrors of this place. It took him forever, but he managed a name.

_...Holly..._

His drifting consciousness dragged itself along, confused by the name. Who was she? How did he know that name?

"_Artemis!" _It called again, stronger this time.

His mind slowly formed the word that it called to him.

_Art...e...m...is..._

Was that...his name?

The voice called again.

_My name...is Artemis..._He thought, perplexed and intrigued. _And that...voice...is Holly..._

She called again, and this time it sent a jolt of emotion through his unfeeling husk. It surprised him, like an entirely new experience. Maybe it was...

_Artemis...Holly..._

The names echoed through the hollow expanse of his mind, sounding more familiar every time they bounced off of its barren walls. He pondered it for an age, the echoes ever causing something to increasingly change within him.

"_Artemis!"_ A voice called, this one different from the last, but no less urgent.

_Domovoi...Butler..._The name came randomly to his mind, surfacing from the dark depths of the abyss. It felt weird, and brought a faint feeling of comfort to his lonely being. The distant familiarity was getting closer, but still felt too far to grasp, eluding him like taunting water escaping between the fingers of a man dying from thirst.

"_Artemis!" _Even more voices called, each filled with love, and fearful urgency.

_Mother...Father...Myles...Beckett...Juliet..._

Shards slipped together, their sharp edges forming a smooth, fulfilling surface. He began to connect the broken pieces, each time a greater picture forming, one that aroused an odd, undefinable emotion within in. What was it called? What was this...feeling? The name eluded him, as did the memories.

More voices began to call his name, along with those that were already doing so, mounting to dozens, to hundreds, and more. He knew them all.

_I am...Artemis Fowl...The Second...Yes, that's my name..._

Now images were forming in the blackness, faint pinpricks of light which flashed on and off all around him like brilliant fireflies on a warm summer night. Their beautiful moments of glimmering warmth kissed him gently, like a loving mother.

"_Artemis! We need you! _He heard Holly's voice call above all the others, its signature penetrating into his being like a needle, but it didn't hurt like one; it brought a pure and healing warmth.

Faces. He began to see faces. They appeared before him, flickering into and out of existence in brief, glorious star bursts of innocent light. Some were young, some old, some in between; all of them looking to him with deep expressions. Each he knew, and as they became more defined, he began to place names to them.

_Myles, and Beckett...Juliet...my parents...some hairy kleptomaniac...Mulch, yes._

As they popped into his mind, they filled in the empty spaces, displacing the cold cobwebs that had intruded so malevolently. As they did, the numbness slowly started to fade, like a sheet of solid ice melting after a long winter, revealing the tender beginnings of spring flowers beneath. He could feel, and just the feeling of being able to do so was foreign, as though he had been born only moments before.

More faces appeared, each calling to him desperately. Why was he so important to them? What was the motivation behind their cries?

_Foaly...Butler..._

Then he saw them, the odd mix of blue and hazel: those glorious mismatched eyes. They bore into him like nothing else, capturing him with their brilliance, stealing him away without protest on his part. In that moment, he felt himself come alive, the face he beheld like a bolt of lightening striking his dead soul, jolting its sleeping functions into motion once more. The eyes stared in his own, shining beautifully.

"Holly!"He yelled, his own voice sounding just like he knew it should: it was him. He was Artemis Fowl.

He felt a rush of consciousness, a tide of knowing, a wave of meaning that shattered the gloom. He remembered everything, why he was here. It rammed through the cold, decimated the numbness, and shattered the illusion surrounding him. He had been lost within a dark cave, the only images visible those of distorted shadows. Now he had emerged from that cave, finding his way into a light that brought everything into focus, showing him truth. The blackness fell away, revealing the crimson tinted masses of writhing corpses, still piled on top of him, grinning with evil.

"_Artemis!" _He heard the memories call again, the faces now plastered in his mind, each a banner to his cause.

He was covered with the horrible forms of those he had thought were his family, his friends. They stared at him, still believing that they had him, still thinking that he was lost in himself. Artemis heard the voices calling, saw their faces in his head, and felt their love in his heart. It warmed him completely. He felt a fire rising within, a storm of heat that flared as he finally brought the dominant thought to mind: Opal.

The beings around him seemed to feel his growing resolve, their wicked grins disappearing, and their familiar masks fading slightly. They growled, sending their hands plunging into him again, seeking to pacify him once more.

Artemis felt the frigid hands drill into his being, their intrusion a sudden shock of pure agony. He gritted his teeth, but refused to submit. He could not die yet, it was unacceptable, an improbable thing to consider. Just one more purpose, that was all he had. He didn't care if his fate was decided, so long as he accomplished his goal, for them, the voices in his heart.

The dead creatures pushed harder, crushing against him as they doubled their efforts. Before his face, Holly's ruined form growled, her insane eyes burning with fire. All around her, the others did the same, malice pouring from them in droves. They saw something in him that they utterly despised, something that was the antithesis of their own nature.

"_I need you...Artemis."_ Holly's voice cried through the growls.

Artemis felt the flames of his own determination burst into every fiber of his metaphysical being, outshining the glaring eyes of the monsters around him. His purpose was strong, his final directive in life now his battle cry, his creed, his definition. With his mind now perfectly in control, he grabbed onto the gnarled arm of Holly's false apparition. He pulled on it, and with surprising ease, it snapped apart, fading to dust in a pathetic manner. The creature's eyes betrayed something that he'd never seen in them before: fear. Artemis' face was solid, his eyes filled with a fire of their own. He grabbed onto the neck of the false Holly, pulling her close as to look directly into its hateful eyes, unblinking, unafraid.

"You are NOTHING!" He growled, and as he did so, the things around him visibly pulled back, terrified. The false Holly roared at him, the smell of death assaulting his senses as it went ballistic. It then forced him back, hitting him with such a strike that it made him fall to the ground. As he fell, the others regained their resolve, and with roars of their own, launched themselves onto the boy, their actions driven by a sense of pure desperation. They had to stop him.

Artemis grunted as they piled onto him, stabbing their limbs into his body with utter hatred, seeking to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. There were millions of them, billions even, blotting out everything with their twisted forms.

"_You fool, you can't win!" _The taunting voice from before yelled, as cunning as ever.

Artemis gritted his teeth against the enormous, stabbing cold pain that the boney claws made as they punched into him, ramming into the warmth of his soul relentlessly.

The voice laughed, its confidence supreme. _You see! You are nothing, Fowl! You will fail!_

Another hundred claws stabbed into him, leeching his strength. A short cry escaped his lips, but nothing more. Against the impossible pain, he held firm.

The voice growled angrily. _Just give up!_

More and more of the dead surged onto him, yelling and screaming with unbridled hate, doing everything in their power to end him. Artemis felt their weight, and their hands as they reached into him. He glared daggers right back at them, unwilling to give them the pleasure of seeing him cower.

"_You can do it Artemis!" _The voices called. _"We believe in you!"_

"_Don't listen to them!" _The antagonizing voice yelled, increasingly emotional. As if in response, even more hands stabbed into him.

Artemis closed his eyes, the pain assaulting him in enormous waves. _I have this one chance. _He thought. _I will not let them down!_

At once, all of the memories he had of those he fought for washed through his mind. Every moment, in every detail, was before him. He looked back to the beginning of it all, to when a misled child captured a fairy. The images moved like a movie, from scene to scene, from year to year, one adventure after another. All of the pain, all of the happiness, all of the times he'd saved or had been saved by others, and every time he had been shown the beauty of the world. It was the story of his life, and from his point of view, it was incomplete. The last chapter had yet to be written, the white paper still devoid of the fate deciding markings of its master. It was but a few pages short, the ending yet to be discovered, a tantalizing mystery for the literary eye. He smiled.

_One last adventure..._

He let the memories amalgamate within his heart, pooling into a precious sea of hope. Hope, that was the word that had eluded him before. He had hope.

By now he was covered in a sea of the dead things, but even with the hundreds of hands stabbing into his soul, he felt not a hint of their chill. He was better than that, he would not let them win. The evil voice screamed incoherently into his ear, roaring with all the hate in the universe. Artemis' face tightened into a serious glare, his eyes opening and falling upon the false Holly once more. All of the flesh was gone now, leaving a burning skull with pinpricks of red light in its empty sockets. It's razor teeth dripped with black blood, the sharp fangs gnashing hatefully. He took a breath, ignoring the howling all around him, and the spiteful assaults that the antagonizing voice sent into his head. None of this scared him, it was just an obstacle in the way of his destiny, a blockade between him and all that he loved. It would not stop him, not in a million years.

"_YOU PATHETIC SHIT! _The voice roared._ "DIE!"_

Artemis' eyes flared wide, his expression one of complete anger. He balled his fists, drawing upon every ounce of strength that he had within himself, shaking from the purposeful emotion he felt. The monsters around him pressed harder, but they were nothing. With his teeth barred into a challenging snarl, Artemis yelled out.

"GET...OFF!"

The enraged voice of his invisible antagonist was cut off abruptly by a sudden surge of invisible power, choked out like flames smothered in an ocean. This outburst exploded from Artemis, slamming into everything around him without discretion, blasting the twisted figures back with ease. As they were thrown back, the monsters bodies disintegrated, exploding into clouds of black dust that flew carelessly into the wind, disappearing as they did. Holly's form was the first to go, obliterated instantly before him, its flaming eyes winking out as it was destroyed. The other twisted illusions of his life soon followed, each torn from existence with the same morbid efficiency, cast into flowing seas of fine dust which danced madly amidst the destruction. All around him, the sea of writhing corpses was thrown backward, the shock wave sending the millions of ghouls careening in all directions like weightless dolls, limbs flailing pointlessly as they spun into the endless distance. Artemis stared in amazement at what he had done, though his awe was soon silenced by an even greater change. He felt everything around him shift, the air itself rippling as though the dark realm was an elaborate illusion, its falsity thrown off canter by the force of the blast. Cracks soon formed in the shimmering air, and he could feel himself changing, though as to how he did not know. It mattered not, for all he needed to know was that the prison was unraveling. The cracks expanded in the air, an intricate web of structural deterioration that meant certain collapse.

_This is it..._Artemis deduced, feeling the ground beneath him give way.

With a massive crack, everything around him shattered, sending him falling from what had been his eternal prison and into a place he knew all too well. There, below his falling specter, was the Gate. The entire chamber was visible now in all its dreadfulness, though cast in a semi distorted fashion, as though everything was submerged in crystal clear water; everything shimmered, and there was no sound.

He fell, and fell, though his eyes were on the chaos that had consumed the room. Opal was floating high in the air, unbelievable measures of power shining from her, the dark magic still flowing from the Gate and the artifacts into her. However horrible this looked, it was also a good thing. Opal had not completed the spell, there was still a chance.

Artemis looked around as he descended upon the hellish scene, weightless. His eyes were quick to notice the fallen forms of his friends, each strewn about like forgotten toys. Butler and Juliet were on one end, Quan and N°1 on another, all of them bleeding profusely. This dismal view soon changed to the center of the chamber, stopping his ethereal heart as it did. There he was, lying on the cold floor, dead. But this was an established fact that he obviously saw coming. What utterly hurt him was seeing Holly, a few feet away from him, stabbed into the earth with a wicked magical lance. She was alive, but obviously losing grip on the world. All of this brought fresh terror to his soul. All of them lay broken because of him, because of his failure. They had fallen for him. He felt his anguish explode, his shame for what had befallen them ambushing him powerfully. He gritted his teeth as he got closer.

_Stop it! _He chided himself. _What use is there for such self condemnation now? _He looked again to his body. _This is your last chance. They can still be saved, but first you must end this! You must kill Opal!_

With that, he threw his shame into the recesses of his mind, focusing entirely upon his goal. He was now directly over himself, having come to a smooth halt upon the cavern floor. It was odd, observing his own dead corpse, but he had no time to waste. Artemis reached out, knowing instinctively what to do.

_Here goes nothing..._

His transparent hands passed into his physical form, and for a moment nothing happened, bringing sudden panic to his mind. Had he come this far just to find that it was a fool's errand from the start? It was obviously not, for after an agonizing pause, he felt a jolt of energy. Every fiber of his being felt like it was on fire, an entire entity constituted out of glowing hot coals. He felt himself get sucked into himself, and in a moment of healing pain, everything went white.

**The Gate**

For what seemed like ages, the whiteness persisted. Then, with another jolt of energy, it faded to black. Noise suddenly assaulted him, the sound of Opal's laughter coupled with a million other howls. It pierced his mind, waking it up instantly. The feeling of the stone ground and the enormous tremors came to him as his nerves began to function once more, their electric impulses informing his brain of the impending doom all around. It immediately made his heart beat like a drum, reminding him that he should not have a functional heart at all, for it had been destroyed by Koboi. But despite his death, he felt very much alive. The only logical explanation was that the ancient warlocks had actually been able to save him.

_And now I must do my part._

He slowly pried his heavy eyes open, the images at first appearing blurred and discolored, but soon coming into focus as his eyes adjusted. He saw nothing but magical fire above him, an endless storm of dark energy that flew from the spell circles as it worked to accomplish its nefarious ambitions. It assaulted him with hot wind and pieces of sharp stone, but he ignored it given a sensation to his right: there was something in his hand.

Turning his head to the side—a task that was difficult given the weakness that was plaguing him—he caught a glimpse of it: the dagger. It was sitting ergonomically in his palm, perfectly intact, as if it had never left his hand. He managed a slight grin. _Thanks Alwin._

He sluggishly wrapped his fingers around the ancient dagger, doing his best to grip it tightly. He then looked back to the ceiling, adjusting his neck as to see the manuscripts as they shined brilliantly in the air. Opal was high above it all, oblivious as she laughed like a madman. As far as she was concerned, she had won. Artemis tried to move his legs, but only got a slight response. He groaned as he tried even harder, receiving pain for his effort. He was incredibly tired, and his body was stiff from the rigormortis that had been in place not moments before, allowing limited mobility. How was he going to stop Opal if he couldn't move?

"Artemis...?" Came a ragged whisper to his side, the voice weak but instantly recognizable. With a surge of energy, Artemis managed to sit halfway up—much to the protest of his body—looking over to see Holly staring at him, an expression of pure astonishment plastered upon her bloodied face. The look was soon coupled with enormous relief.

_Holly. _He thought, though he didn't speak; words couldn't form on his lips. He looked at her, and with a bit of effort, gave a reassuring smile. _Everything is going to be alright, I promise._

Holly tried to say something, but failed against the pain of the spear lodged in her chest. She coughed roughly, blood gushing from her mouth and splattering onto the ground, her body shaking as though half frozen. The coughing stopped abruptly, her eyes glazing over as they rolled back, her head falling back to the ground, motionless. She was dying.

Artemis felt part of him scream to rush to her side, but that was out of his capabilities. Even if he could, what good was that? There was one thing he could do now, and it was in his hand. He gave Holly an enormously concerned look, feeling guilty that he was not there by her side, but also knowing that he was right to leave her alone. As heartless as it sounded, there were more important matters to be taken care of.

_Opal..._He thought angrily, his attention snapping onto the manuscripts. They were about twenty feet from him, floating five feet in the air. He knew instantly that it was an impossible distance for his weak body to move. He didn't want to think it so, but his calculative mind made it a fact: he couldn't make it within stabbing distance, not by a long shot.

_I have to! _He screamed inside, refusing to allow for the constraints of his physical form to govern his one chance to end it all. He had not made it through the hell of the Gate's dark magic, and almost losing his soul in the process, to fail now. He had not defied death for the second time in his life, to watch Koboi succeed. He had done it for the purpose of ending her, to cease her evil existence and that which it brought, to put that mad pixie down for good. He had done it to give the world, his family, and his friends another chance. To give his brothers a chance to grow up, his parents a chance to grow old together, his friends a chance to live their lives to the fullest, to chase their dreams and catch them, to be happy. There was nothing more he wanted, even though his desires didn't include himself; he would happily welcome death in the end, as long as everyone else was alright. The thought brought no discomfort to him whatsoever. He had been eluding the odds for his entire life, running from the arrows of fate so as to live on, for whatever reason. Maybe it was time he stood still; maybe it was his time.

Opal's laughter sliced through the air, her eyes rife with mad glee as she stared into the magical storm raging above her, the response of another layer of the spell's equation falling into place exploding into the air. _Only two more! _She thought, her razor sharp teeth glinting as bright as her anticipation burned inside.

Artemis brought his hand up to his chest, eying the dagger intently. Fate had brought him here to this moment, would fate now let him seize it? _Fate..._He thought as he tested his limbs, gritting his teeth as he willed them to function.

The air swam with crimson tendrils as Opal slammed home another section of the spell, doing so with wicked gusto. All the while, she laughed, sounding increasingly insane as she went._ Yes! One more! _

Artemis' legs moved slowly, and after a long moment of painful struggling, he got to his knees. The manuscripts floated not far from him, shining like the sun as they dispensed their influence. He pulled on leg forward, trying to push himself up from the ground. Halfway through the movement, he felt his leg give out, causing for him to fall back to his knees. He coughed due to the exertion, seeing a significant amount of warm blood spatter from his mouth. He ignored it.

_I am Artemis Fowl. _He thought intensely. _I, not fate, will decide how this ends!_

He coughed again, more blood spattering onto the stone beneath him. Again, he ignored it.

_Just a little more, and it will be over. _He closed his eyes momentarily. _Please! Have the strength to carry on!_

As he opened his eyes, he looked to Holly, her motionless form a silent reminder of everything he lived for, what made him carry on in even the darkest of hours. It was those whom he had, those who had him, that made life worth living, not wealth or power. _Gold is power..._The motto couldn't have been farther from the truth for him now. What was all the gold in the world, when put up against that which was truly priceless? He smiled at the thought of his friends; he had everything he'd ever wanted.

Opal's mad eyes were filled with happiness as she manipulated the final piece of the puzzle, her attention focused on the magic alone, not the world around her. _And so, with this final piece, I become a god!_

Artemis brought his gaze back from Holly to the manuscripts before him, and Opal Koboi high above, his eyes filled with a fire that would outshine even that which burned all around him. The spell was almost complete—it was now or never. With his eyes ever upon his goal, Artemis Fowl drew back his arm, the dagger held tightly in a white knuckled grip. It would be a ridiculous plan in any other situation but this, but he had no doubts; he had never been so sure in his entire life.

"It's all mine!" Opal yelled high above, the magic now seconds from completion, the massive spell ring almost complete save a few characters.

Artemis' eyes never left the manuscripts, and his heart never left his friends. With every facet of his being, he willed himself to be strong, pooling every ounce of courage and strength he could muster inside himself. With his arm now fully drawn back, he took a deep breath, remembering the beauty in the world, the wonder that life held, and how far he'd go to preserve it. The world might as well have been watching, as it was he who held their lives, everything balanced upon the shoulders of one young man. Artemis' heart and soul shined with a determination that would move the stars to wonder, his face set in a look of confidence.

"Fly true." He whispered softly.

With a silent roar, Artemis put his everything into his throw, sending the dagger—the fate of the whole world—flying through the fire laced air. The dagger spun with a polished grace as it passed through the swirling storm of dark magic, its motion rhythmic and certain, its course true to its word.

Above, Opal Koboi smiled as she slid the final piece into place, enjoying the moment with immeasurable pleasure. "Finally!" She stated wickedly, feeling the power that was about to be unleashed waiting just beyond her fingertips. In her moment of victory she didn't notice the glint of the dagger as it spun through the air, heading straight for her one lifeline to the world of the living.

Artemis watched as it neared its target, all of his hopes stacked upon this one throw, this one moment. As he watched, he felt himself suddenly weaken, as if the throw had depleted his energy. With a grunt, he fell to the ground, falling almost flat on his face. He recuperated almost immediately, looking up from the ground to watch the monumental moment. No matter how this turned out, it was his duty to witness it, to bear the responsibility for his actions or lack thereof. Time slowed to a crawl, casting the scene into an unforgettable moment of perfect anticipation, existence itself now caught between life and death, a cataclysmic uncertainty upon which the whole universe waited.

The dagger spun gracefully in its arc as it flew towards the glowing artifacts, now only a few feet away, the swirling magic that surrounded its target having no effect upon it whatsoever. Opal, still in the process of completing the spell, felt the intrusion in the back of her mind at the last possible second. Her eyes widened with pure and utter fear, her smile disappearing instantly as she realized what it meant. "NO!" She screamed desperately as she turned her head, looking down in time to see the dagger near her one weakness. With a completely terrified expression upon her face, Opal cast her magic, trying to do anything she could to stop it, but it was too late. The dagger covered the final few feet in the blink of an eye, and for the first time in his life, Artemis actually hit what he was aiming for.

The ancient dagger collided with the manuscripts, the exact tip of its blade stabbing into the gleaming parchment without a hint of difficulty. As it made contact, the glyphs along its length lit up, shining brighter than anything else in the chamber. Opal screamed with a mix of complete dismay and potent rage, her face contorting between the two emotions in random twitches that refused to be controlled. Her gleaming eyes flashed brightly, her emotional screaming composed of long strings of expletives. As the pixie swore violently, the glowing manuscripts pulsed, the dagger seemingly sucking the life from them.

Artemis watched with awe as the hellish scene in the air exploded into disarray. The precariously ordered spell rings broke apart and flew in every direction, the spell not just reversing, but self destructing beyond repair. The symbols that formed the circles flashed brightly as they winked out of existence, leaving small burn marks upon the stone surface that they had dominated not moments before. The air shimmered with a rage of its own as the tendrils of dark magic writhed like amputated limbs, twitching as the life faded from them. All the while, the still floating Opal howled madly, her rage and terror flowing like a rapids. The limitless sea of magic that had been flowing into her exploded outward, sending a wave of energy hammering into Artemis. He was sent sprawling onto his back, but the force of the impact didn't impede his vision as he stared at Opal's undoing, a scene that he refused to look away from.

The two ancient devices were now flaming with a fire that glowed hotter than melted steel, pulsing with more and more energy as everything around them went ballistic, the only place of remote sanity amidst the madness that was flowing unabated. Dark magic flowed from Opal, ramming into the pillars that surrounded the main circle, which were glowing as well, their ancient markings swimming with fire. The stone monuments sucked in the energy until they gave way, their tall forms disintegrating with loud cracks, leaving piles of glowing dust in their wake. The remaining magic in the air began to collect around the center, and as it did, Opal Koboi was cast from the air, her previous power gone. She screamed as she slammed into the ground just beside the manuscripts, her legs breaking from the impact. She looked back to where her only tether to the world floated, stabbed clean through by the dagger that should have been in pieces. Her face was filled with fearful rage as she watched the two artifacts heat up even more, the impossible taking place before her.

The dark magic had fully gathered into a condensed sphere high above the Gate, its form flashing with crimson lightning and bubbling masses of pure power. Below, the manuscripts reached their breaking point, the sound of their parchment cracking apart filling the chamber with an improbable volume. As they cracked, the dagger too began to fragment, its stone surface becoming covered with glowing lines as the cracks formed. Artemis felt the air bulge with pressure as this happened, and out of intuition, held onto the ground for dear life. Not a second later, both the dagger and the manuscripts exploded into showers of wicked fire. Opal screamed as the fragments of parchment rained down around her, glowing as the flames consumed them.

"NO! NO! NO!" She screamed desperately, grabbing at the burning pieces of paper as if they could still save her, trying hysterically to gather the few remaining parts of her now shattered hopes, her eyes wide and shimmering with tears. Her shaking hands could barely reach the pieces before they burned up completely, leaving her with a handful of meaningless ashes. She stared at them with a hollow expression, her entire body shaking. "No..." She whispered, her voice the epitome of disbelief.

Above, the magic roiled like a storm cloud, circling above the Gate like a vulture. Then, with a hundred cracks of thunder, it shot straight now, slamming into the center of the circle with immeasurable force. The pedestal upon which the manuscripts had been placed shattered like glass, disappearing into the pillar of magic as it pressed into the ground, causing for the earth to groan. The carved transmutation circle glowed brightly, wildly trying to keep itself together, as if it was a living being fighting for its very survival. It only took the roiling magic a few seconds to end this resistance, and with a colossal rending of stone, the entire circle split in half, its glowing symbols reacting with what appeared to he agony, writhing sporadically before erupting into fiery explosion. The sea of dark magic pressed into the cracks in the circle, sending waves of powerful wind and kinetic bursts flying from the epicenter of the chaos.

Opal Koboi was thrown head over heals by the blasts, her face smashing into the unforgiving stone a few meters from Artemis, who was still plastered to the ground in an attempt to stay in one piece. The pixie groaned with pain as she tried to pull herself up from the ground, her face cut in several places and already bruising. Artemis looked up at her, still low to the ground as the pulses of energy blew from the storm in the center. He immediately noticed how she had changed. She had none of the power as before, leaving her weak and brittle, her broken legs a clear sign of her lost capabilities.

"No...it can't be!" Opal cried as she stared at the ground, tears falling from her eyes, her dreadful persona shattered upon the rocks of reality. It was over for her, she had lost. "That...damn...Fowl!" She seethed, her sadness compounded by a powerful rage. Looking up, she stared straight at the topic of her outrage, her eyes filled with a madness that was beyond even her previous self. Her wicked teeth glinted as she glowered at him, her visage brimming with hatred. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" She shrieked, reaching out with her small but no less threatening hands as if to choke him to death. Grabbing onto the ground, she started to pull herself towards him, her useless legs dragging along the stone, leaving a smeared trail of blood behind her.

Artemis reeled backward, doing his best to avoid the insane pixie, but found that he had little strength left as well. He watched with horror as she dragged herself towards him, all the while uttering an endless stream of hate filled nonsense, her eyes wide and feral.

"FOWL!" She roared, the name uttered with oceans of spite.

Artemis pulled himself back slowly, the sound of the magical chaos echoing through the air along with Opal's screams. The dark magic poured into the ground, its heat causing for the center of the room to partially melt. Then, with a new series of loud cracks, the air around Opal shimmered, followed by a flash in the pixie's eyes, a spark that lit up and then was gone. Her face tightened at whatever was happening, her hate filled screams withering out as she realized the implications. As if to respond to her realization, a stream of brilliant crimson sparks poured from her body, spiraling through the air towards the flowing magic as it receded into the earth. It didn't take Artemis long to see that those sparks were her very being, slowly being consumed by the magic that had once been her slave. The pain was evident in her eyes, and even more evident in her voice as she croaked. "I can't go back!"

It started at her feet, her otherworldly form deteriorating into the red sparks of light. It began to work its way up her broken legs, slowly eating her alive.

"I can't!" She cried pathetically, still crawling towards Artemis, all other purpose gone.

Artemis stared at her as she wasted away, astonished at how frail she had become, and at the grotesque magic that was consuming her. It was like watching a dense thorn bush whither in a drought, its fangs useless against the omnipotent forces of nature.

"Fowl..." She rasped angrily, tiredly, staring into him with hatred, though fear filled her gaze more than anything. The dark magic was now at her waist, and rapidly tearing away her torso. As it did, her strength gave out, leaving her utterly defeated upon the uncaring stone, a legless fool. Her eyes left Artemis, seemingly forgetting him in the face of her doom, instead looking into a distant place, as though looking back on the life that she had thrown away so callously. Bloody tears filled her crimson eyes, overflowing like a deep wound and falling down her bruised face, leaving sorrowful streaks as they went. She was shaking uncontrollably, and as the magic reached her upper torso, she sobbed, her eyes betraying something that Artemis never thought he'd see from her: regret. Though it was likely the regret of not killing Artemis sooner, he could not help but wonder. It was like she was seeing clearly for the first time, realizing just how much she had thrown away, how she had squandered her promising life on the empty ideals of revenge and power, letting true happiness slip through her fingers. Her arms and shoulders fell away, leaving her head suspended in the air, ever cast in sadness, crimson tears falling like rain. At the last second, her terrified eyes switched to Artemis one last time; there was no hatred in them, only despair. With a terrified whimper, Opal Koboi disappeared, her face reduced to a cloud of glittering red sparks, the last part of her to fade being her pitiful eyes. The luminous remnants danced on the wind as they were pulled towards the magical storm, into which they fell away forever. As the last of Opal's remains disappeared, the swirling mass of energy made its own final outcry. In a shower of radiant sparks, the dark magic exploded out of existence, the evil energy's dreadful noise ending in one final boom.

Artemis stared onward, the sight of Opal's eyes chilling him to the core. The force of the explosion sent him rolling into Holly, who didn't even budge. Though the magical lance was gone with Opal, she was very well stuck to the ground with dried blood. Artemis looked at her bloodied face, and could tell by the slight movement of her chest that she was still alive. He reached out to help her, but felt himself nearly pass out from the effort. With a tired grunt, he fell to the ground beside her, feeling a new agony rising inside of him. Was he dying again? He didn't know, but at this moment there was nothing he could do about it, nor did he very much care if his end should come: he had finished it, Opal was gone, the world was safe; he had fulfilled his final wish.

The earthquake had subsided when the magic had faded, but now a new tremor shook the chamber. Dust and rock fragments began to fall from the ceiling, and massive cracks formed along the walls. Artemis felt fear rise in himself. The entire cave was coming down, and along with it his friends too would perish. He tried to move, but felt nothing. The light was fading, or was it his own vision?

The chamber shook more and more, fissures opening in the floor like hungry maws, the telltale glow of magma boiling in their depths. Artemis could barely make things out now, but in his fading strength he managed to place his hand upon Holly's, wishing for no other place to be. The darkness was slowly taking him in, welcoming him with warmth and kindness, and as it did he squeezed Holly's hand, both to console and be consoled.

Showers of stone started to fall, the noise now unbearable as entire sections of the chamber started to collapse. Shouts gradually echoed from the entrance, followed by faint shadows in his vision, though he could not identify anything. As several pairs of strong hands pulled him off the ground, he felt his grip on consciousness slip, leaving everything cast in a comforting darkness. In the last moments of knowing, Artemis heard the familiar voices of the ancient warlocks speak from a distant place.

"_Well done, Artemis Fowl."_


	22. All Is Well

**Unknown Location**

He was in the endless expanse of white mist once more, his being shifting in and out of transparency as it had been when he was in the warlocks' presence before. Everything felt familiar, but the scene lacked the lurking dread of the Gate's dark magic. Now, everything was calm and serene, a feeling of purity and rest emanating through the shimmering air.

_Am I dead this time? _Artemis pondered.

The air around him swirled as if to give its silent response, though its message was anyone's guess. Then, just as before, the mist began to take the shapes of the warlocks, who subsequently appeared before his eyes. Alwin was at their forefront, a wide grin on his ancient face.

"You did it, Fowl." He stated warmly. "The evil that we so wrongly created is now gone forever."

Artemis nodded, still intrigued by their presence, and his location in general. Surely they would have passed on by now, and what of him?

"Indeed." Artemis replied, the memory of Opal's final moments flashing before him, haunting him more than he thought it should. Maybe even she had a bit of good left in her, and in her last moments it surfaced for the first time. "Is it truly destroyed?" He asked, taking his mind off of the subject.

Each of the warlocks nodded immediately, seemingly having the utmost confidence on the issue. Alwin opted to explain further.

"When you destroyed the manuscripts, you made the Gate virtually implode. All of that magic suddenly cut off, left with no place to go but back, overloaded its metaphysical structure, causing irreparable damage." He let out a calm sigh, a smile gracing his aged visage. "Thanks to you, at long last, no one will be able to tamper with such power again. You've saved the world and, even though we don't deserve it, us as well." He paused, gratitude washing over his face. "We are forever in your debt."

Artemis smiled. "Think nothing of it. I was simply doing the right thing. Besides, I couldn't have done it without your help." He looked at each of them, noticing that they forms were now entirely transparent, unlike himself. "So what comes next?"

"Our souls are free from the Gate's magic." Alwin stated happily. "Now we can finally die." As morbid as it sounded, the warlocks appeared genuinely ecstatic that they were finally going to pass on. Of course, a million years of imprisonment would do that to anyone.

"And I?" Artemis asked uncertainly. Despite having welcomed death as the cost of defeating Opal, he no less wished for life, to see the world that had been broken by Koboi heal, to witness the conclusion of his adventure. He wanted to know that everyone was alright, that his family and friends were safe, that he had truly achieved his goal. And, of course, he simply desired to live on, as any mortal being would whence placed between life and death.

Alwin chuckled a little, apparently amused by the boy's unease. "Be still, Artemis Fowl, your life is not over. On the contrary, your adventure has only just begun."

Artemis felt his heart leap with joy, and with an enormous sigh of relief he let out the breath that he had been unconsciously holding. After a moment of feeling the euphoria of his new lease on life, his curiosity got the better of him. "Then why am I here, wherever this is?"

Alwin nodded as if expecting the question. "We are between life and death. Though your body lives, it has undergone a serious amount of damage, some of which we could not fully heal given our limitations. You are balanced between them, a fine line that to many would appear as precarious, but I know that you will dip towards life." He paused, smiling anew. "Besides, we wanted to bid you farewell."

Artemis nodded thoughtfully. That explained his physical deterioration after he had regained control over his body. It still had wounds hidden deep within, ones that nearly killed him in his efforts to stop Opal, though mercifully allowing him to finish it. His mind again drifted to the pixie. "And what of Opal, the one who was trying to access the Gate's power?"

There was barely any reaction save a slight look of unpleasant thought as Alwin heard the question. He was quick to answer, his voice emotionless. "She is dead for good, there is no way she can return from it this time." He noticed the look in Artemis' eyes, a knowing look in his own. "You saw something in her, didn't you? A spark of sanity, maybe a glimmer of the person she could have been?"

"Yes..." Artemis said softly. "I never expected that from her..."

Alwin smiled sadly. "Indeed, even the worst of people have a hint of goodness left buried within, though such small slivers of purity rarely reach the surface in such beings as Opal, whose heart was likely poisoned at an early age. 'Tis a shame, such wasted life." His sad expression seemed to mirror his own life, how he had done very much the same. "In her final moments, this part of her managed to surface, the power of her wickedness destroyed by the realization that her life was over. It must have been horrifying for her, though such is life—You reap what you sow."

Artemis nodded again, his face solemn, pondering the fairy that had for so long been his most hated enemy. What had made her so evil, so heartless? How did such a brilliant mind as her's, one that could have done so much good in the world, fall so far? He resigned himself to the fact that he'd never know, which bore its own sense of dread—He hated not knowing things, and a part of him felt that it was his responsibility to understand the pixie that had brought so much dread, to grasp at the ethereal causation of her downward spiral. He never thought he'd feel this way, but then again, he'd never thought of a lot of things. Life has a way of catching you off guard, even if you are a genius.

There was an abrupt change in the air, a familiarity coming along with it. He suddenly felt something, a sensation deep within his chest. He felt like he was being pulled to some place, like a delicate being on a lifeline. He looked to Alwin, who seemed completely unsurprised. Instead, he gave the boy a knowing smile, the lines on his ancient face creasing deeply.

"Life is calling to you Artemis." He said warmly. "Don't keep it waiting."

The boy smiled despite himself, his mind already upon those who were waiting for him. He felt as though he had been away from them for an eternity, drifting on an astral sea far away from the comfort of their voices. He longed, more than anything, to see them again. There was a silent wisp in the misty air, the white smog swirled around him gently. He felt himself lift off of his own feet, and with the most peculiar of sensations now tingling all over, he began to float away. The warlocks watched him as he was whisked into the air, made weightless by an invisible force, well wishing expressions upon their faces. Alwin raised his hand, giving the boy a parting wave.

"Farewell, Artemis Fowl!" He called strongly, his wise voice echoing through the mists.

Artemis waved back, silently wishing them the best. He watched as they turned away from him, one by one, slowly walking into the enveloping mists themselves, disappearing forever. He himself was fading into these clouds, and as he did, he began to feel tired, his eyes slowly closing whilst his soul was gently spirited away by the flowing mists. He smiled endlessly, feeling the joys of life already washing over him, eliciting a longing cry from his very soul for the beauty that life held. His smile stayed on his face, even as his eyes closed and his consciousness drifted away with the caressing wind.

**Haven**

Artemis' eyes shot open, everything a sudden shock to him as his consciousness came to life within his catatonic body, his heartbeats hammering in his throat. Light assaulted his vision, temporarily blinding him as if he had not seen the day for an eternity, the gentle rays of light striking his depraved eyes. As his vision adjusted itself to a comfortable equilibrium, the sounds around him began to flitter into his ears—sounds of medical equipment and distant conversation, as well as the muffled hum of a busy world beyond. It was immediately apparent that he was in Haven's hospital, the view out the window to his right a sure sign of it.

_Waking up here has become a recurring theme in my life. _He thought bemusedly, still off canter from the sudden awakening.

He let out a long, calming sigh, rubbing his temples gently as to clear his chaotic mind. After a short time he was completely in control, his previous stupor chased away by an iron will, and he began to look around some more. Everything was the exact same as it had been the last time he had been there, making him wonder curiously if it had all been a dream. It wasn't, of course, as the view from the window displayed a still damaged city, the large structures that had previous dominated the sight now missing entirely. Still, he mused over how ridiculous it would have been to wake up and find that everything had been a figment of his imagination—though it would have been a relief in a way as well. Putting the thoughts aside, Artemis sat up fully, though given his stiffness it was a slow task. For a minute he stretched, feeling progressively back to normal—though normal was a difficult word given how abnormal things had become in his life. Regardless, he felt very much rejuvenated, both by the knowledge that he had been given another chance at life, and by the fact that the horrid conflict was over for good.

_I just hope everyone else made it..._Artemis thought uncertainly, a feeling of anxiety rising in his chest at the though of his friends. The fact that he himself was alive served as a logical means of reasoning that they too had made it out, most likely thanks to the arrival of Trouble's forces. He tried to console himself with this speculation, but found little comfort. He had no idea what the extent of their injuries were, nor how the events had unfolded after he had passed out. His mind was instinctively drawn to Holly, whom he knew for certain had been at the edge of her life. This brought even more dread to his mind, and he was about to climb out of his bed to find out for himself, when a loud crash erupted from outside the door, followed by the door itself being blasted off of its hinges and sent spinning out the window like a boomerang. Needless to say, it scared the crap out of him.

"Artemis!" Called numerous different voices in unison, the most audible being Butler as he literally plowed through the entrance, his bulk not allowing for him to pass through easily, resulting in him tearing away the door frame and part of the wall in the process—he didn't even seem to notice.

Artemis' fears evaporated as they poured in—Buler, Juliet, Holly, Quan, N°1, and Mulch—and subsequently berated him with both joy and concern. Each of them appeared completely healthy apart from a few scars and bruises, leading Artemis to wonder just how long he'd been out for. This thought, however, was pushed aside; time was nothing to worry about, everything was alright.

"How are you feeling?" Butler asked worriedly, already checking Artemis' vitals with thrice the amount of thoroughness than he usual would. He had an utterly serious look in his eyes, and behind it Artemis could see a shimmer of shame; Butler was blaming himself for what had befallen his charge.

Artemis smiled at his old friend, part of him feeling ashamed as well for putting him through such a horrible thing. "I'm quite alright, old friend," He said warmly, looking into the man's eyes as if to add: _It wasn't your fault, and I refuse to let you believe otherwise. _

Butler visibly calmed and, for what was probably the first time in a while, allowed himself to smile.

Juliet appeared from behind her brother's looming form, giving him an energetic grin. "You really kicked Opal's ass back there!"

Artemis grinned in response, silently taking note that though Juliet seemed her usual self, she too had a look of unrest deep within, the signs of enormous emotional stress that told him that she was far from over the events that had taken place. Like her brother, she felt responsible for Artemis, and therefore shouldered the burden of knowing that she had failed. He made a mental note to speak with them about this later; he didn't want to see such self-deprecation, not when it was he who had almost failed them. His thoughts were interrupted by a hairy mass popping up beside him.

"Glad you pulled through mud boy. There's still so many things we have yet to steal together!" Mulch said mischievously, though there was a great deal of concern hidden behind his flamboyant persona, something that few would attribute to the dwarf. It didn't surprise Artemis, however, who could read people like open books.

"Indeed." Artemis replied with a sly grin, putting on his criminal mastermind persona just for the fun of it. "The Mona Lisa would do nicely, and then maybe a weekend visit to Fort Knox." The dwarf grinned widely at the mention of anything related to gold, a devious twinkle in his eye. Though Artemis wanted to turn away from the immoral criminal activity of his past, he was certain the Mulch would never leave him alone after this remark. Once you made even the slightest of references to him about acquiring government gold, he would hold you to it, or at least pester you for a few decades (which includes noisily emptying the fridge every so often, and leaving inconvenient holes in the lawn). This didn't bother Artemis in the slightest, however; its familiarity gave him an undeniable feeling of nostalgia, of all the silly escapades that they had been through.

"Artemis..." He heard a familiar voice say softly, drawing his attention away from Mulch. Holly was standing to his left, staring at him with a hard expression, though her eyes were anything but hard.

"Holly..." He said with a smile. "I was so worried about you, after...you know." He paused, noticing her unchanging expression. "Holly?"

In a flash of movement, the elf reached out and punched him directly in the shoulder, harder than he though possible. It hurt like hell, but was nothing compared to what he'd been through. Nonetheless, it would be sore for weeks, and the unexpected strike made him wince involuntarily. Holly retracted her fist, and as she did her stern visage melted into a look of joyful relief.

"I thought we'd lost you, Artemis." She said with tearing eyes, the steel gone from her voice. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

Artemis smiled, tearing up as well. "I promise." He said honestly, looking her straight in the eye.

Holly smiled brilliantly. "Good." She reached out again, hitting him again in the shoulder, though in a gentle, playful manner. The punch further pained his already numb shoulder, but for Artemis it was the greatest feeling in the world; it was her own unique way of forgiving him. It made him feel alive all over again.

Quan stepped up beside him as well, smiling happily. "Despite all the odds, you made it through. You saved the world, as cliché as it sounds." He stated warmly. "Though as to how you managed it I have no idea."

Artemis nodded, remembering the series of events that had led to Opal's defeat. "It's a long story."

"Enlighten us!" N°1 cut in, an intrigued look in his eyes, as well as in Quan's. Magic was their lives, therefore they would most certainly not take no for an answer. Everyone else appeared greatly interested as well, and who wouldn't? Most of them had only witnessed Artemis' death, not his revival, and definitely not Opal's demise. For them, everything was a mystery, for they had only awoken long after the events to find that they had somehow won. Artemis understood this perfectly, and had been planning on telling them anyway—it was something that he had to get off of his chest.

"Alright." Artemis said, bringing the memories to the forefront of his mind.

For the next twenty or so minutes he recounted the events that had taken place after his death. He went into great detail about the warlocks, their past, and the nature of the Gate, doing his best to retell their words verbatim. Next came the time he spent within the dark magic, the horrors that he had faced, and their attempts to destroy him, followed by his eventual escape—which he emphasized was thanks to them, his friends. He then covered the final moments of the conflict—the throwing of the dagger, the destruction of the manuscripts, and Opal's final ruin. He retold these things with no amount of happiness, his voice morbid at times, and unfeeling at others. It wasn't that he regretted anything, and he was happy that they had succeeded. It was just that he couldn't feel joy when speaking of such things, only the pain and horror that had enveloped nearly every moment of it. By the time finished his recount, everyone had mixed expressions upon their faces, each digesting the information in their own way. Quan was the first to speak, his voice contemplative and face cast in deep thought.

"So that explains it..." He stated quietly, still pondering the matter. "It must have been quite the experience, meeting those warlocks."

"Indeed it was." Artemis nodded.

Quan cocked a brow. "It is very interesting what transpired, and you showed nothing less than extraordinary character in making it through the Gate's magic." He paused, frowning slightly. "And I have to admit, I'm jealous. You got to meet magical beings from a million or so years ago."

Artemis smiled harmlessly. "I assure you, it wasn't all that special."

Quan grinned at the boy. "You liar." He stated jestingly, eliciting chuckles from the other occupants in the room.

Artemis was quick to remember that he had is own questions. "But what happened afterwards?"

"Trouble and Ivankov's forces arrived right after you destroyed Opal." Holly answered. "They managed to carry all of us out and escape on the large transports that were left over by Koboi's own forces, only making it out at the last second."

"So its gone, then." Artemis stated.

"Yes." Quan nodded. "The entire tunnel network collapsed in on itself." He paused. "The area was subsequently sealed off, after they extracted any survivors and fallen."

"And the magic?" Artemis pressed, wanting double confirmation that the Gate was truly destroyed.

"I checked it myself." Quan said. "The magic is gone. Only a few echoes remain here and there."

"Good..." The boy breathed, feeling much better now that it was confirmed. He looked out the broken window as a ship flew by, the wind drifting in gently.

"So what happens now?"

"Well, you still need to recover." Butler said immediately, quick to be concerned for Artemis' health once more.

Artemis frowned. "Honestly, I don't think that being confined to this horrid building will improve my health." He stated, already sick of the hospital. "Besides, I feel quite alright."

"Oh no you don't!" Holly said sternly, stopping Artemis' attempt to get out of the bed. "You're not going anywhere until I say so."

"I surrender." Artemis said theatrically, putting his hands in the air. "Just don't punch me again, I swear my arm will fall off."

Holly grinned mischievously. "Don't tempt me."

The humor was interrupted as the room's screen lit up, swirling with static before revealing Foaly, who appeared quite happy to see Artemis. None of them were surprised in the least; it was well established that the centaur had eyes everywhere.

"Sorry to interrupt you kids, but I figured I'd pop in and see how our favorite mud boy is doing." He looked to Artemis, who gave him a nod. "I am very grateful for what you did back there, Artemis. We'd all be dead if it weren't for you. Seriously, I owe you more than I can give."

Artemis graciously accepted the gratitude, feeling a bit embarrassed by all of the attention, but not showing it. "Don't worry about it." He said friendlily. "We all did our part." He paused, looking out the window again. "By the way, how long was I out for?"

"A week." Foaly stated. "You've been in a catatonic state for that amount of time, none of us knew for certain whether you would come out of it or not."

"I see." Artemis said, eying the recuperating city carefully. "What has happened in my absence?"

"A lot." Foaly said, emphasizing the utterance. "There's been a nonstop effort to bring everything back to normal, and I've been the sole individual who doesn't get a break." He made a face as if to accentuate his personal crisis. He was always the melodramatic one.

Everyone suppressed their grins, doing their best to take the centaur's life crisis seriously. Mulch, of course, didn't bother, and simply laughed at Foaly's facial expression. The centaur did his best to ignore the vexing dwarf, and switched his attention to different matters. "Oh and by the way Artemis, I hope you can attend the ceremony in a few days."

"Ceremony?" Artemis asked curiously.

"They're holding a memorial for the war, and to honor some _particular_ individuals." The centaur stated, winking to them. "You know how it goes."

"Your getting a medal, Artemis." Holly said with a grin, excited for him.

Artemis smiled, but didn't very much feel any sort of joy over the revelation. He did not do what he did for a reward, and he was not one to desire the prestige of such things. But he also knew that it was just how things were, and didn't want to burst anyone's bubbles by refusing it. "That's great..." He said.

Foaly noticed his hesitation, and gave him a knowing look. "Don't worry, it's nothing extravagant, just a simple ceremony. Besides, your not the only one receiving special honors." He nodded to everyone in the room. "Yeah, pretty much everyone."

Mulch rubbed his hands together, a wide grin on his face. "Do I get my own reality show too?"

Foaly looked at him, and deadpanned. "If you do, I'll lose all faith in the media...Not that I've got that much to begin with."

Mulch seemed to enjoy the centaur's reaction, and gave him an irritating wink, as if to say: _I was hoping you'd say that._

There was a loud shout from somewhere behind Foaly, causing for the centaur to snap back into a professional attitude. "I've gotta get back to work, Trouble's running a very tight ship. And Holly, he wanted me to tell you that your needed at HQ. " He moved closer to the camera, as if to tell a secret. "I wouldn't be surprised if he starts smoking those fungus cigars, he's already the right shade of red." He whispered sneakily, winking before turning off the feed.

"Indeed..." Artemis said as the screen went black, remembering Root immediately. Being exactly like him seemed to be a prerequisite for Commander, and as he thought this, he wondered how things would be if the old elf was still around. He noticed Holly's slight reaction from the corner of his eye as well, a faint shimmer of emotion that was there and then gone again, like the brief appearance of a shooting star.

There was along silence as everyone thought their own thoughts, suddenly left with nothing else to say. After a moment, Quan spoke up. "Well then, I think that Artemis needs some rest, and...oh yeah." He motioned to the window that Butler had broken with the door, his magic repairing it in the blink of an eye. He then waved to Artemis. "We'll see you in a few days."

Artemis tried waved as the warlocks left, but found that his arm was so sore from Holly's punch that he could barely lift it, and by that time it was too late to wave with the other one. He then chatted with his remaining friends for a few minutes before the doctor showed up, looking rather perturbed by the missing door (which Quan had forgotten to fix on his way out). Everyone had to leave as, apart from the doctor's temper, it was time for Artemis to undergo a slew of health tests which would likely bore him for the next few hours. Holly was the last to leave, stating aloud as she left that: "If Trouble is calling me down there to do more paperwork, I'm going to dropkick him out a window." Artemis failed to suppress his laughter as she said this, and received another punch to the shoulder.

**Haven – Two days later**

The first ceremony took place in Haven's memorial park, the only space of greenery that remained intact after the conflict, its many trees and rolling hills of grass fed by Haven's artificial skies, which were now functional once more. The weather displayed was that of a pure blue sky laden with brilliant white clouds, their soft forms rolling along like ships in a tossing sea, the sparkling sun shining in between them with a warm benevolence. To anyone not accustomed to the city's infrastructure, it would appear that the sky was really above them, not just an illusion.

Just as Foaly had stated, it was not an extravagant display, but a quiet, solemn remembrance of the events of the last few weeks. Almost the entirety of the LEP was present, along with many of the human allies as well, for both had bled together despite their differences. There were no cameras or media of any sort; this was a sacred event, and even the most heartless of paparazzi knew to respect it. Everything was centered around a large monument in the middle of the park, made of a beautiful white stone that reflected the sun's rays with grace and purity. Upon it were the names of those lost during the war, which numbered in the thousands, each name written with eloquent care. Commander Trouble Kelp stood before this monument, and carried out the ceremony with the utmost discipline, his full dress uniform as immaculate as the stone behind him. He did his best to appear stoic and in control, but as hard as he tried, the faint lines of sadness appeared as he spoke, though his voice remained strong.

"My friends." He began, looking to the gathered soldiers. "Today we remember the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this world, who stood up against overwhelming odds and did not back down." He paused, his stern face looking from each of his officers to the next, pausing at Holly before continuing. "We celebrate their lives, their bravery, their sacrifice, and mourn their loss." He paused again, looking at the artificial sky as if to look at their spirits. "They laid down their lives, so that we may live ours free, to pursue our dreams and happiness unabated by the forces of evil, to see the beauty in this world. May we never forget that."

Trouble turned about, facing the towering monument with a solid expression. The sun's rays reflected off of the tip of the spire, making a brilliant shower of light that shined from the obelisk in a victorious fashion. Kelp stood ramrod straight, his eyes directed upon the names of his officers, his friends.

"A-ten-hut!" He bellowed, bringing his arm up in a flawless salute. The hundreds of individuals present came to attention in unison, saluting along with the commander. A gentle wind blew through the park as they held the salute, as if to pay its own respects to the fallen. As the breeze dissipated, Trouble bellowed out again, in his stern eyes showing the shimmer of tears, though they never fell. "At ease!"

The ceremony carried on as per protocol of the People, and was over in a relatively short time. This was, of course, not the only ceremony. On the contrary, a second was held a few hours later at police plaza, for the distribution of distinguished honors (as it would be insulting to use the memorial grounds for the presentation of medals, one cannot have a celebration in such a solemn place). Like the first, it was low-key, with only the bare necessities for formality. There were, however, cameras present, and for Artemis it was a rather weird experience when he stepped onto the podium to receive his medal: The Order of the People, the greatest civilian decoration for distinguished service and enormous accomplishment of its kind. Commander Kelp was the one presenting them, therefore, one could imagine the irony of the moment when he gave it to Artemis, whom he had never fully respected. That was not the case, however, for Trouble showed not an ounce of such opinion, but an absolute and undeniable gratitude. The boy had saved the world, after all, and had done so where all others had failed. This was more than enough to change the elf's feelings.

"Artemis Fowl." Trouble addressed. "For actions of extraordinary bravery and service to the People and the world, I present to you The Order of the People, our highest civilian honor. We are forever in your debt."

Artemis accepted it as professionally as possible, but couldn't help but sweat as the media took literally thousands of pictures. He realized then and there that, whether they were human or fairy, he hated cameras. Despite this, he did his best to appear proper, smiling for the camera as any mastermind would.

Decorations were given to others as well, including Butler and Juliet, Foaly (who could barely contain his ego), Quan, N°1, and the commander of the allied forces, Ivankov. Mulch also got his long awaited medal, and to nobody's surprise stuck it in his mouth to make sure that it tasted like real gold. Needless to say, the media went nuts with their cameras.

Finally it came to Holly, who stood at attention in full military dress at the front of the audience, alongside Artemis (who had been fending off reporters until Butler decided to use his serious face, which immediately scared them off). Her uniform was in perfect order, and her Captain's insignia was polished into the likeness of a mirror.

"Captain Holly Short." Trouble called.

Holly made her way up the platform, standing at attention before her commanding officer.

"At ease." Kelp ordered. He then reached to the case in which her medal gleamed brightly, talking it out with the utmost of care. "Captain Holly Short. For acts of extreme battlefield courage and leadership far above and beyond the call of duty, I am proud to present to you our highest honor, the King Frond Medal of Valor with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds." With a look of pride in his eyes, he placed the medal onto her lapel, and as he did he whispered gently to her. "Julius would be proud." Holly nodded slightly in response, staying otherwise rigid with discipline, though her eyes spoke volumes.

After being given the medal, Holly stepped down from the platform, her eyes focusing on a different time entirely. The ceremony ended shortly after, and once the pleasantries and congratulations had been dispensed to the recipients by all the top brass and well wishers, Artemis and the others were left within a throng of reporters and cameras, most of which ran away at the sight of Butler. They soon found themselves walking to the police plaza, where they had broken out the overly expensive chardonnay—and for the heavy weights, a sizable amount of high quality Russian vodka, courtesy of Borislav. As he walked, Artemis noticed that Holly was not with them. He turned about, seeing her a few meters away, heading in the opposite direction.

"Holly, where are you going?" He asked, concerned.

She turned around, giving him a reassuring smile. "There's something that I need to do." Judging by the look in her eyes, she meant _alone_ as well. Artemis nodded to her, an invisible understanding flashing between them.

"Alright, we'll be waiting for you." He said, a hint of worry still in his voice. He pushed it aside, however, knowing that it was none of his business. Still, he watched Holly from the corner of his eye as she disappeared into the distance, before disappearing himself into the police HQ.

**Several Minutes Later**

Holly walked through the still war torn streets of the city, her path one that had been memorized long ago. The noise of construction was all around her, and many people gave her cheers as they recognized who she was—she ignored all of it. She walked for twenty minutes, the cool wind gently passing her by as she strode to her destination in a mechanical manner. She had walked this path countless times before, but now it felt like the first time, and she could feel the emotion rising within as she neared her goal. Haven's cemetery stretched out before her, a sea of ordered headstones, lined up like the ranks of an army. Though it was standard practice to recycle the bodies of the dead, they were nonetheless given a place to be remembered, a final vestige of who they were. Holly stopped outside the gates, observing the scene before her as the sun's artificial rays caressed her soothingly. It stretched for quite a distance, a series of interconnected paths each lined with trees and flowery meadows, most of which were intact despite the war. Holly took a calming breath, and then walked into the cemetery.

The meadows rustled as the breeze passed overhead, the large trees, some of them shot to pieces, swaying rhythmically to the tune of life. Her footsteps sounded sharp upon the stone pathway as she walked through the lines of stones, passing the names of those loved and those forgotten. As she walked, her medal glinted brilliantly in the sunlight, its weight seemingly increasing as she strode deeper into the field of memories, just as the feeling inside her grew with each step. Her face was stern, but her eyes contained a soft pain, the heart behind her stoic armor of military discipline.

After a few minutes of silent travel, Holly slowed to a halt, knowing exactly where it was that her destination sat. She was at the end of a smaller path, which led to a calm meadow surrounded by trees and flowers, hidden away from the world as if to preserve it forever. Her breathing was controlled, but became increasingly less so as she stepped up to the large stone at the end of the path, her eyes falling upon it just as they had for many years. The stone was a meter tall, and two feet wide, made out of purest of white marble. Everything in the meadow, including the stone, was untouched by the conflict, as if the war had never happened. It was serene, the sounds of the outside world barely audible, the sound of the wind and the rustle of the meadow the only noise that reached her ears. Holly's eyes crossed over the stone in a protective fashion, as if to be sure that it was alright, before stopping on the name. She read it, even though she knew what it said.

_~In Loving Memory of Julius Root~_

There it was, the last piece that she had of her beloved mentor, her old friend, Commander Julius Root. Holly stood there, her eyes shimmering with tears, her solid face cracked with sadness. No matter how many times she looked upon that stone, it never got easier. Every time was the first time, a painful and yet heart warming reminder of the person she loved as a father, and of how he had been taken away far too soon in his life. She stared at the name for an eternity, living her old life all over again, right up to the point where Opal had blown it to pieces. She gave not a thought to the pixie—that bitch was not worth her time—but Julius was worth it all.

"Julius." She said, a few tears now falling from her eyes. The wind blew around her, as if it was his spirit welcoming her. The thought brought even more tears. She remembered him in every fine detail, all that she had learned from him, the purpose he had given her in an otherwise painful life. She remembered every time his temper had flared due to her brashness, and all the times he had looked at her discretely with pride. The memories broke her heart and mended it at the same time, a never ending cycle of hurt and healing. Her thoughts all came down to his last words, his final farewell before his fiery death at Opal's hands.

"_Be well."_

Her tears were now flowing from her eyes, their shimmering forms falling to the earth with sparkling flashes as the sunlight danced through them. His final moments played through her mind as if they had happened yesterday, bringing her tears to a torrent. That was why she was here, to remember, and to finally let her friend rest in peace, to bring closure and a sense of finality. As her eyes poured her sadness, she smiled lovingly, as if Julius were standing before her.

"It's finally over, Julius." She said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "We did it."

The wind caressed her again, like a soft hand brushing away her tears. It may as well have been his answer, his blessing. She smiled at him, and brought her hand to her chest. Without looking at it, she removed the medal from her uniform, its diamonds shining gloriously in the light, and began to approach the gravestone. All the while she looked at the name inscribed upon the pure white stone, the sweet memories overpowering the bad ones.

"Thank you, for everything." She said through her tears, now right before the stone. The breeze blew continuously, wrapping her in its ethereal embrace.

The sun was shining now brighter than ever, its light reflecting off of the medal like a mirror, its surface blazing radiantly. She reached out with her hand, the medal held carefully, and placed it at the base of the stone, right below his name. Even though it rested upon the cold earth, it still glowed with light, its surface gleaming beautifully. Holly stepped back, her eyes ever streaming tears. Were they tears of happiness, or tears of joy? She could no longer differentiate.

The trees overhead swayed with a gentle understanding, the flowers watching on in silence, an audience moved to pity by what they saw. Holly pooled all of the memories together, feeling their warmth, and let it blaze into her heart. With a solid expression, she stood at attention, snapping a crisp salute to the headstone as the medal shined on. She held the salute for what felt like hours, and then, with a controlling breath, let herself be at ease, her hands falling to her sides. The wind was so soft as it kissed her face, and for the first time in years, she felt truly at peace with herself. It was over. Julius could finally rest in peace knowing that the world was safe, that the People were free, that Holly was well. It brought a sadness to her heart, but she welcomed it as a friend, knowing that such feelings were inescapable in moments like these. There she stood, for the better part of an hour, feeling the weight of the past fall away. The breeze touched her softly as if it were Julius saying: _Be well, Holly. _She smiled, and looked one last time at the name etched in stone. The medal was reflecting the sun's rays up onto the words, illuminating them with warm light, as if to bring life to the markings that were otherwise left in the shade. Holly smiled, her face gleaming with the streaks left by her tears.

"Be well, Julius."

With these final words, Holly turned around and began to walk away. As she did, she thought she heard a voice speak from a distant place, in a soft and warm whisper. _"Be well, Holly." _She didn't miss a stride, but inside she felt the scars upon her heart fade away, healed by those words. She smiled, the wind blowing gently through her hair as she walked in the radiant sunlight. She was well.

**Four Days Later**

The Irish countryside glowed under the red hew of dusk, the sun shrinking below the distant horizon in a cloudless sunset, its warm rays bidding goodnight to the sleepy world. Above the clusters of trees and rolling hills flew an LEP shuttle, invisible to the eye as it cut through the air. It passed low over the lakes and rivers, flying with a grace that would put a bird to shame. Inside sat Artemis, Butler and Juliet, each looking out the windows with their own private feelings. In the flight seat sat Holly, her face lit up with a daring grin as she flew danger close to the ground, her piloting skills guiding the sleek craft through the evening sky.

Artemis watched her as she flew, her enjoyment his as she smiled endlessly, loving the carefree flying to no end. He could see Fowl Manor looming in the distance, its defining architecture jutting gracefully into the sky, a symbol of a happy life calling to him. His mind drifted back to the ceremony, to the look that was in Holly's eyes. He knew it had something to do with Julius, but he refused to bug her about it. Judging by her countenance now, whatever pains she had were gone, and that was enough for him.

It had been several days since the events in Haven. The remainder of the time had been spent doing various exciting things, all of them with his friends. It had been a good few days, so good that the conflict with Opal felt like it had happened years ago. He let out a content sigh as he thought back on everything, knowing that the world was safe, that they had done it again, hopefully for the last time. _The last time..._He didn't like that thought, to be honest. Though the conflict had been one of nightmares, it had also been an amazing adventure, just as all of them in the past had been. He had no interest in living a boring lifestyle; he lived for the thrill and he knew it. He hoped that, in the future, more adventures would come, though hopefully not the kind that he had faced most recently, but rather the sort that were harmless, like dealing with Spiro or Jack Sawyer had been. But he also realized that, even if no adventures came, he would be content. He had lived a wonderful life, with so many wonderful people. He had tasted the beauty in the world, basked in its wonders, and found true happiness in those whom he cared for. He chuckled silently, thinking about the emptiness of his family motto. _Gold is power. _It was power, but what was power without happiness? His mind went to Opal, who had had all the power in the world, and yet lived in hate. What good had power been to her? All it had accomplished for her was a lonely demise in depths of the earth.

"Hey Artemis!" Holly called out. "We're here."

Artemis pulled himself from his thought spell, realizing that he had not noticed the landing of the ship, or the fact that the door was open right beside him, the cool night air gently brushing his face. Butler and Juliet had already gotten out, and were waiting outside as bodyguards would. Holly was standing beside him, her flight helmet tucked under her arm, her mismatched eyes regarding him quizzically.

"Sorry." Artemis said softly, rising from his seat. "I was thinking."

Holly smiled. "You think too much."

"Perhaps." Artemis replied, stepping out of the ship. As his feet touched the cool, soft grass, he looked at his home. It was just as he'd left it, and there were lights on inside, their welcoming glow calling for him to come home. Artemis smiled, looking to his friends.

"That was quite a journey." He said warmly, to which Butler nodded and Juliet grinned. Holly was standing on the steps of the shuttle's stairs, leaving her at shoulder height to the boy. Before he knew it, he felt a fist hit him right in the meat of his shoulder.

"It was one hell of a ride." She said happily.

Artemis smiled, rubbing his shoulder tenderly. "Thanks for that, I wasn't planning on using my left arm anyway."

Holly grinned mischievously. "Good."

They laughed, the weight of the last few weeks gone from their hearts. They felt free, and as they laughed, the stars in the sky seemed to twinkle with their own humor. It was nearly dark now, the sun's form completely hidden in the distance, its glow the only vestige of its presence. The sounds of night began to take over, creating a calm, serene environment. Artemis looked again to his home, noticing the shapes of people moving behind the windows, no doubt his family. He smiled again. Life was calling to him, he would not keep it waiting.

"Would you care to join us for dinner?" Artemis asked Holly in a mock gentlemanly fashion. She rolled her eyes at his poor acting, but stepped out of the ship completely.

"I've got nothing better to do." She stated. "Besides, I'm starving."

"Excellent." Artemis grinned. "Though do refrain from hitting me anymore. I can't eat without arms you know."

Holly moved to punch at him again, causing for him to flinch. He hoped to god that she didn't know the phrase: "Two for flinching". Later he would find out that she did.

The cool evening breeze washed over the four of them, bringing their attention to the chill of the approaching night. Artemis motioned to the door, a content look upon his face as he started for it. As they disappeared into the mansion, the night wind flew high into the air, the stars shimmering like a sea of diamonds, their silent applause glinting in the dusk. Far away, the crimson glow of the sun made its final farewell, falling into the horizon like a sinking gem, leaving everything to the stewardship of the moon. From inside the house, the sounds of pleasant conversation and hearty laughter went onward into the night, the song of a happy life.


	23. Epilogue

**Fowl Manor**

Artemis sat in his study, hard at work on a series of calculations. It wasn't that he was interested in them. On the contrary, he was solving the puzzles of society simply to keep himself occupied. It had been a month since the events surrounding Opal's final attempt at world domination, and every day had been relatively uneventful, leaving him with nothing better to do than invent things and acquire doctorate degrees by the dozen. It was monotonous work too, as it was hardly of any difficulty.

_How I wish Holly would give me something crazy to do. _He mused, typing away as the morning light shined through the window, illuminating the bookshelves and their contents. As he worked, he let his mind drift to the news that he had been getting from Haven. Since the end of the war, the People had managed to repair the city fully, bringing its population back to live in it once more. It had been a difficult process, but there was nothing that Foaly couldn't do. Artemis grinned, imagining the centaur in his office at that very moment, doing his best to spy on him for the fun of it. _Good luck with that, donkey boy. _He thought, his mind then switching to other things.

The LEP had done its very best to persuade Holly to accept a promotion to Major, and to their surprise, she did, though there were conditions. Holly pretty much made them swear, in both writing and in court of law, to not change her above-ground operational freedoms, and that her paperwork be dealt with by someone else on most occasions. Given that she was a hero in the ranks of the LEP, they could hardly refuse. This brought another smile to his face, and he could not help but imagine Trouble's irritation with the whole matter.

There was also the interesting situation between the LEP and their new human allies. It had been a rather awkward alliance at first, but the events of the war were enough to create a now thriving relationship between the two groups, its scale something that had never happened before in history. Commander Ivankov still held his position as the chief of security for the organization, and had opened various channels of cross-species cooperation, which often took the form of joint operations with the LEP forces.

Quan and N°1 had spent their time studying the Gate's remains, more so to further prove its demise than to learn anything more of it. They were contented to know that it no longer existed, and found this to be the indisputable case after a few days of careful examination.

Mulch was making waves in fairy society, which made Artemis rather happy due to the how insane it sounded. The dwarf had gotten his own reality television show, which was called something that they had to censor right off the bat. Rumor had it that, upon seeing the show pop up on his television, Foaly threw the screen into a garbage compactor and beat his channel box into a pulp. It would later be discovered that the centaur had been on the verge of having the studio that filmed the show wiped out of existence, when he realized that all he had to do was change the channel. Back to the topic of Mulch, he had not called Artemis concerning the robbery of high profile government gold reserves, which showed that he knew that Artemis wasn't interested in breaking a million laws in a day anymore, though Artemis knew better than to assume that the dwarf wouldn't go ahead without him. It was only a week ago that a reported theft left Fort Knox without several dozen tons of gold bullion, and a few days later a conspicuous note was left on his doorstep. It read: _Here's to the good old days! _Beside the note were several gold bars, which Artemis quickly melted down so that the US government didn't blame him.

Artemis sat back in his chair, letting out a tired breath. As he did, a knock came at the study door, followed by Butler, who had a phone in his hand.

"Artemis." He called. "It's for you."

Artemis stiffly removed himself from his chair, retrieving the cellphone from his friend with a polite nod. He then put the phone to his ear, curious.

"Artemis Fowl the Second speaking." He said smoothly. The voice that came through was exactly the one he wanted to hear.

"Hey Artemis." Holly said friendlily, the sound of a shuttle operating in the background. "I've got something for you."

"Do you now?" Artemis asked, intrigued.

"Yep." Holly replied.

Artemis felt excitement begin to rise in his chest. "Is it what I hope it is."

"You bet!" She said excitedly, her voice indicating that she was having a blast already. "I'm en route with a shuttle. ETA ten minutes."

Artemis smiled like a giddy child on Christmas morning. "Excellent, I'll see you soon."

He hung up the phone, looking immediately to Butler. The man had a knowing look in his eyes. "I take it there's some work that needs doing?" He asked politely.

"Indeed." Artemis grinned devilishly, his heart already bumping.

Butler nodded, a look of excitement now in his eyes as well. "I'll go get my guns." He said professionally, before leaving the room without a sound.

Artemis stood there, looking out the window as the morning sun washed over his face with its warming touch. He never stopped smiling, and as he awaited the welcome sight of Holly's shuttle, there was a brilliant twinkle in his eye.

_Here we go again!  
_

~The End~

**~Author's Note~**

**I'd like to thank everyone who read this story, I honestly hope that you had as much of an adventure reading it as I did writing it. Special thanks to all reviewers, your input has been invaluable to me, given that this is the first piece of fiction I've ever written. It's been quite a ride, and I wish each and every one of you the best in life.**

**Cheers!**

**John Creel  
**


	24. Redux Part I - Echoes

**Unknown Time**

Fire swirled through the shimmering air, its glowing embers dancing amidst a sea of death, which stretched for miles in all directions. The massive chamber was filled with destruction and the barely recognizable remnants of what it had once been. Melting steel structures and the sagging frames of once deadly machines littered the ocean of lava, forming a molten soup of liquidated elements and deteriorating chunks of technology. Even more magma poured in from the ceiling above, where a gaping crack about a kilometer in width had formed. The lava roiled down in the form of a terrifying waterfall, its passage barely affected by its viscosity, and accelerated by the uncaring pull of gravity, making a steady stream of searing fire that splashed into the voluminous ocean below. This was the aftermath of the magical tear that Opal had created, which had been disrupted by Fowl's efforts and had subsequently mended itself in the most destructive way imaginable. The resulting explosion had rendered Koboi's entire facility, along with an additional area ten times its size, into molten slag. Nothing remained of the pixie's nefarious legacy; nothing but fire and ash.

Yet within the lava there was a particular object that seemed out of place—out of place in that it didn't appear to be utterly ruined, and in the fact that it was emitting an odd beeping sound. It was small, perhaps the size of a melon, and was made of a metallic alloy, one that seemed to be impervious to the destruction around it. It had barely any features besides a few red lights, which were pulsing in a fashion that seemed to mimic the beeping it was making, as if it were representing the pulse of a living creature. The object bobbed like an apple in the bubbling magma, content to float amidst the dreadful ruin.

Time went on, and as it did the chaos grew. The room slowly began to shake as a distant rumble took hold, and soon it was falling to pieces with the force of the tremor. Stone chunks the size of entire city blocks plummeted from the ceiling above, slamming into the molten sea with tremendous force. The impacts created gigantic waves, which swept across the chamber like record-breaking tsunamis, swallowing everything in their path. As the pieces of Opal's ruined facility were pulled deeper into the chaotic sea, the curious object stayed afloat, managing to ride out the ridiculous storm. Magma covered it at times, and enormous chunks of stone slammed into it at others, but in the end it persisted, its surface betraying not even a scratch. The tremors lasted for at least half an hour, growing in intensity until they reached an earth shattering climax, and as this seismic crescendo took place, the object made its own. The rate at which it beeped steadily increased, the flashing doing the same, as if whatever it was monitoring was experiencing something of either enormous pleasure or cataclysmic terror. As the quake reached its climax, the already fast rate of the object's report instantly doubled, then tripled, until each beep was indistinguishable from the last. Then, as the world around it seemed no longer capable of withstanding the chaos, the sphere appeared to overload—the beeping and flashing went berserk, and then abruptly ceased entirely.

A few minutes later, the tremors ended as well, leaving the hellish chamber with some semblance of stability, though that wasn't saying much; the fires still burned, lava still poured from above, and the mysterious object still bobbed up and down through it all. It remained silent for a while, its lights blinking occasionally, as if it were trying to regain a connection to its target. After about an hour, the device apparently gave up, though that didn't mean it ceased to function. Instead, the object let out a shrill noise, one that grew until it was a perpetual, earsplitting shriek. Then, with a series of metallic clicks, the sphere's top opened up, like a deformed flower. Out from it shot the briefest of crimson beams, which just barely stood out against the flaming world around it. After a fleeting moment of time, the beam disappeared, leaving the device silent once more. As to what the brief energy pulse meant, there was no knowing for certain. However, in such a devious world, there were bound to be some who never ran out of contingencies; a select few who planned for the impossible; those few who, even in death, would leave something terrible behind. The device's top closed, and as it did it all signs of functionality disappeared, leaving it as dead as the decaying ruin all around it. Like the fading echoes of the distant past, it slowly began to sink into the glowing magma, its last fleeting moments now at hand. Then, without any reluctance, it disappeared entirely, pulled into the searing embrace of the incandescent sea, never to return again.


	25. Redux Part II - Shadows

**Unknown Location**

The suffocating darkness was all that was within the deathly silent expanse, an otherwise tangible place in the physical world rendered into a stale void of nihility by the absence of light. Nothing stood out amidst the gloom—nothing but shadows so faint that they barely existed—as if the ubiquitous blackness was madly devouring what little remained of the world, rending even the shadows into formless dust, leaving utter oblivion in its wake. The odorless air was cool, neither frigid nor warm, but a perfect equilibrium that complemented the numb, ominous feeling of limbo that emanated from every fiber of the hidden realm. It was like the dreadful waiting room that bordered between the life and death; sanity and insanity.

Then came the footsteps, like a bell's toll on a dreary autumn night, whispering of lurking devils and horrid things to come. They echoed through the darkness, meeting the floor with a sound and pace that indicated a sense of purpose that was without haste or worry; an absolute ambition that glowed with both objective calculation and wicked avidity. Measured and certain, the steps continued through the oblivion, the noise of their passage reverberating throughout the gloom, making it impossible to tell where they were coming from, and instead creating the illusion of being everywhere at once. Though an illusion it may have been, there was no telling for certain within the all consuming darkness, which could have made even the greatest of skeptics believe in the vengeful ghosts of the dead. And so, within the endless void of nothingness, the footsteps sung their lonely tune; a tune of dreadful brilliance; of insidious intentions.

After but a few distorted moments of such maddening noise, the footsteps ceased, thus leaving everything as it had been before—deathly silent. But, as the owner of the footsteps would have had it, such silence had run out of air and had suffocated itself to death.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

It was a male voice, but that was where all other _normal_ familiarities fell apart. Impossibly composed and pertinent, it was a dreadfully calculative voice that implied a billion and one things, and not one of them even remotely hinted at goodness—all of them hinted at something entirely different. Like a deranged kinsman of the nihility around it, the voice had not even the slightest of accents, or any mannerisms whatsoever that could have been linked to race or culture, leaving it very much a nothingness of its own. Yet, paradoxically, this nothingness was very much something as well. It was all business, devoid of all care or any other redeeming human quality, like the workings of a machine—only interested in results. As to what sort of business it had in mind, it was definitely not marketing goodwill—it had the antiseptic nature that screamed the business of death and decay.

There was the faintest of sounds as something moved, and then there was silence again. A few moments later, a series of bright flashes blasted into the darkness, yet only for a moment as the gloom seemed to absorb the majority of the light being produced, leaving an unhealthy glow that was limited to its source. A plethora of massive screens floated in the blackness, the walls that they were mounted on still hidden by the unnatural darkness. Each of them had something unique upon it, and the sight of it elicited a pleased exhalation of breath from the individual who stood hidden in the gloom.

"Excellent," he said smoothly, sounding like the sort of person who could order the death of millions without even caring; the sort that would happily grin at the prospect, like an ignorant child squashing ants. However, this man was anything but ignorant to the immorality of such things, but neither was he concerned with it. If anything, the word 'moral' was not on his repertoire; rather, it had likely been thrown into a wood chipper, and then burnt into atoms.

There were other sounds in the room now—of others present as they too made the telltale sounds of dark approval. Whoever or whatever they were, they were all observing the screens, which were alive with hundreds if not thousands of images, videos, readouts and statistics; a colossal amount of data. All of it was of the same topic, one that would turn the world upside down in an instant if it were known. In the impenetrable darkness, the speaker exhaled deviously.

"What exquisite inspiration," he said calculatingly, "for the concerto that will melt this pathetic world around our fingers."

There was a faint, dreadful sound in the darkness, one that lacked identity and yet spoke for everything present; a sound of pure evil. The speaker chuckled softly, his voice saturated with the explicit tenor of malevolent scheming. Though indeterminable in the gloom, he was observing the room's central monitor, upon which was something that greatly appealed to him. On that screen, displayed with perfect clarity, was an image of Artemis Fowl; the contents of the others were very much related. Another composed, ominous chuckle echoed through the suffocating darkness, a sound that would go perfectly with a nefarious and lopsided smile.

"Gentlemen," he stated calmly, as if not a single care existed within his devious mind. "Let us begin."


	26. A final note from the author

**Author's Note**

**I couldn't help it. These last two parts are the product of an idea I have for a possible sequel, though the certainty of its transferal into prose has yet to be determined. Given the more pertinent matters of life and the pursuit of purpose in this world, I will get around to it when it is reasonably possible, whenever that may be.  
**

**Cheers!**

**John Creel**


End file.
